Lisbon, 1908 - Paris, 1992. Maria Helena Vieira da Silva studied in Lisbon and in France, where she had lived most part of her life, except during World War II. She presented her first solo exhibition in Paris in 1933. She became a French citizen in 1956. In 1988, while in Lisbon and Paris were presented retrospectives on her work, Metropolitano de Lisbon was opening a station - Cidade Universitária - were some of her works were used. To Rato metro station, the chosen work to be reproduced in ceramic tiles was "Ville en expansion".