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In 1891, Rafael Bordallo Pinheiro shaped some ceramic swallows that continue hanging from the ceiling of the century-old Tabacaria Mónaco, in the Rossio square in Lisbon. Carried away, he also used them on plates, tiles and other decorative pieces. The image of this beautiful bird, known to be brave and faithful, touched the Portuguese heart and, throughout the 20th century, was adopted by handcrafts and used in façades, balconies and domestic interiors throughout the country and in Portuguese homes around the world. A Vida Portuguesa chose it as a symbol of a country and the people that appropriated it: in this tiny bird capable of crossing continents, with sober colors but a happy chirp and returning home every year like homesick emigrants, we, the Portuguese, recognize ourselves.