The Ferreira’s and their friends

Cândido Ferreira was born in Febres, in the municipality of Cantanhede, in 1949. He graduated from medical school at the University of Coimbra and was an outstand-ing specialist in nephrology. In Leiria, he founded one of the first haemodialysis clinics in Portugal, pioneering in the introduction of certain techniques in this ar-ea.

He carried out intense political activity as a Socialist Party activist and was the campaign director for Jorge Sampaio’s candidacy for President of the Republic. From 2011, he progressively distanced himself from the Socialist Party and in 2015 he ran for president.

As a humanist and a man of causes, he has embraced various battles throughout his life. Much of this combative and humanist experience is described in the vari-ous books he has published (chronicles and novels). These books are also on dis-play in the Museum.

Being a compulsive collector, he has gathered vast collections of all kinds, from fine and decorative arts to numismatics and philately, archaeology and handicrafts from all over the world, postcards and ordinary objects from everyday life (bever-age labels, matchboxes, pencils, key rings, buttons, radios, mugs and toys).

In an act of great generosity, Cândido and his wife, Dr. Liliana Ferreira, offered these collections (amounting to several hundred thousand collectables), to the Mu-nicipality of Cantanhede. The MACC was born out of these collections.
In honour of their act of generosity, four of the couple’s great friends – Dr. Linhares Furtado, Dr. José Ferrão, Dr. Levi Gomes and Dr. Rufino Ribeiro –, gave the Muse-um some works of their own, which are on display in this room.