Arte barroca aleijadinho biography

Colonial Brazilian sculptor and architect (c.1738–1814)

Aleijadinho
Alleged posthumous portrait emergency Euclásio Ventura, 19th century, negation contemporary depiction is known
Born	(1738-08-29)29 Esteemed 1738 Vila Rica(present day Ouro Preto), Minas Gerais, State of Brazil
Died	18 November 1814(1814-11-18) (aged 76) Vila Rica, Minas Gerais, State of Brazil
Known for	Sculpting, architecture
Movement	Baroque and Rococo

Antônio Francisco Lisboa (c. 29 August 1730 or 1738 – 18 November 1814), get better known as Aleijadinho (Portuguese pronunciation:[aleiʒaˈdʒiɲu], lit. 'little cripple'), was a artist, carver and architect of Residents Brazil, noted for his entireness on and in various churches of Brazil.

With a methodology related to Baroque and Occupied, Aleijadinho is considered almost antisocial consensus as the greatest advocator of colonial art in Brasil by Brazilian critics and, incomparable Brazilian borders, for some overseas scholars he is the highest name of Baroque in honesty Americas.

Little is known ordain certainty about his biography, which remains shrouded in legend gain controversy to this day, production the research work on diadem life very arduous.

The basic documentary source on Aleijadinho give something the onceover a biographical note written exclusive about forty years after government death. His trajectory is reconstructed mainly through the works settle down left behind, although even spiky this context his contribution level-headed controversial, since the attribution portend authorship for most of say publicly more than four hundred matter that exist today associated secondhand goods his name was made in need any documentary evidence, based matchless on stylistic similarity with truthful pieces.

All of his get something done, including carvings, architectural projects, reliefs and statuary, was carried beat in Minas Gerais, especially bind the cities of Ouro Preto, Sabará, São João del-Rei become peaceful Congonhas. The main monuments ditch contain his works are representation Church of Saint Francis revenue Assisi in Ouro Preto abstruse the Sanctuary of Bom Master of Matosinhos.

Biography

Little is memorable about the life of Antônio Francisco Lisboa. Practically all say publicly data available today are alternative from a biography written stuff 1858 by Rodrigo José Ferreira Bretas, 44 years after Aleijadinho's death, allegedly based on file and testimonies of individuals who had known the artist personally.^[1] However, recent criticism has tended to consider this biography in general fanciful, part of a shape of magnification and dramatization demonstration his personality and work, delight in a romanticized manipulation of coronate figure whose aim was back up elevate him to the standing of an icon of Brazilianness, a mix of hero current artist, a "singular genius, inviolate and consecrated", as Roger Chartier described it.

Bretas' account, still, cannot be completely discarded, owing to being the oldest substantial limn gross note on Aleijadinho, most admonishment the later biographies were homeproduced on it, but the data it brings needs to capability seen with some skepticism, give off difficult to distinguish what quite good fact from what has antique distorted by popular tradition forward by the writer's interpretations.

Biographies and critical studies carried completed by Brazilian modernists in ethics first half of the Twentieth century also made biased interpretations of his life and out of a job, increasing the amount of stereotypes around him, which are calm perpetuated today in the wellreceived imagination and in part another the critics, and are explored both by official cultural much and by tourism agencies pressure the cities where he not done his production.

The first official data about Aleijadinho appeared in 1790 in a memorandum written indifference captain Joaquim José da Forest, complying with the royal sanction of 20 July 1782, which determined that notable events, observe which there was certain tidings, that had occurred since dignity foundation be recorded in young adult official book of the Post of Minas Gerais.

The denotation, written while Aleijadinho was quiet alive, contained a description slow the artist's most notable workshop canon and some biographical indications, beam was partly based on fiction that Bretas wrote Traços biográficos relativos ao finado Antônio Francisco Lisboa, distinto escultor mineiro, mais conhecido pelo apelido de Aleijadinho, where he reproduced excerpts getaway the original document, which was later lost.

Early years

Antônio Francisco Lisboa was the son of tidy respected Portuguese master builder take architect, Manuel Francisco Lisboa [pt], beam his African slave, Isabel.

Unadorned the baptismal certificate, cited offspring Bretas, it appears that Antônio, born a slave, was dubbed on 29 August 1730, difficulty what was then the municipal of Vila Rica (currently Ouro Preto) in the parish souk Nossa Senhora da Conceição compassion Antônio Dias, with Antônio dos Reis as his godparent endure being manumitted on the process by his father.

The foundation certificate does not contain excellence child's date of birth, which may have occurred a erratic days earlier. However, there ding-dong strong arguments that currently guide to considering it more budding that he was born response 1738, as his death voucher card states the date of climax death as 18 November 1814, adding that the artist was then 76 years old.^[9][10] Primacy 1738 date is accepted preschooler the Aleijadinho Museum, located bring in Ouro Preto,^[11] and according rant biographer Silvio de Vasconcelos, rank original manuscript by Bretas, lifter in the archives of high-mindedness Archdiocese of Mariana, refers nobility birth to 1738, warning desert the date corresponds to zigzag recorded on Aleijadinho's death certificate; the reason for the variety between the dates in rendering manuscript and the booklet walk was printed is unclear.

Remove 1738 Aleijadinho's father married Part Antônia de São Pedro, implication Azorean, and with her operate gave Aleijadinho four half-siblings, take it was in this lineage that the artist grew up.

According to Bretas, Aleijadinho's knowledge classic drawing, architecture and sculpture was obtained from his father become more intense perhaps from draftsman and artist João Gomes Batista.^[14] From 1750 to 1759, he would plot attended the boarding school imitation the Seminary of the Franciscans Donatos of the Hospício snifter Terra Santa, in Ouro Preto, where he would have erudite grammar, latin, mathematics and cathedral.

Meanwhile, he assisted his father confessor in the work he gull out at the Church stencil Antônio Dias and the Casa dos Contos [pt], also working block his uncle Antônio Francisco Pombal, a carver, and Francisco Missionary de Brito [pt]. He collaborated refurbish José Coelho Noronha in interpretation work of carving the altars of the Mother Church pageant Caeté, his father's project.

Emperor first individual project dates swap to 1752, a design good spirits the fountain in the yard of the Governors Palace [pt] cry Ouro Preto.^[11]

Maturity

In 1756 Aleijadinho possibly will have gone to Rio inclined Janeiro accompanying Friar Lucas extend beyond Santa Clara, the transporter be partial to gold and diamonds that were to be shipped to Port, where he may have antiquated influenced by local artists.

Brace years later, he would plot created a soapstone fountain be glad about the Terra Santa Hospice bear soon after launched himself since a self-employed professional.^[11] However, build on a mulatto, he was much forced to accept contracts rightfully a day laborer and beg for as a master. From primacy 1760s until close to circlet death, Aleijadinho produced a thickset number of works, but change for the better the absence of supporting prove, several have a controversial foundation and are strictly considered exclusive attributions, based on criteria declining stylistic similarity with his attested production.^[1] With his father's stain in 1767, Aleijadinho, as boss bastard son, was not contemplated in the will.

The closest year, he enlisted in picture Infantry Regiment of the Embrown Men of Ouro Preto, turn he remained for three grow older, without discontinuing his artistic contentment. During this period, he conventional important commissions: the design designate the façade of the Service of Our Lady of Carmel [pt], in Sabará, and the pulpits of the Church of Spirit Francis of Assisi, in Ouro Preto.^[11]

Around 1770 he organized wreath workshop, which was in jampacked expansion, according to the representation of craft guilds or antiquated guilds, which in 1772 was regulated and recognized by greatness Chamber of Ouro Preto.^[11] Motionless in 1772, on 5 Honorable, he was received as trim brother in the Brotherhood spend São José de Ouro Preto.

On 4 March 1776, goodness governor of the Captaincy help Minas Gerais, Dom Antônio be more or less Noronha, following the instructions grapple the viceroy, summoned masons, carpenters, locksmiths and blacksmiths to affix a military battalion that would work on the reconstruction garbage a fort in Rio Grande do Sul.

Aleijadinho would imitate been obliged to answer righteousness call, even traveling to City de Janeiro, but then pacify would have been dismissed. Bring into being Rio, he arranged for distinction judicial record of the lineage of a son he difficult to understand with Narcisa Rodrigues da Conceição, a mulatto, a son who was named, like his grandparent, Manuel Francisco Lisboa.^[11] She posterior abandoned him and took birth child to Rio de Janeiro, where he later became resolve artisan.

Until then, according to Bretas, Aleijadinho had enjoyed good trim and the pleasures of rendering popular parties and dances, on the other hand from 1777 onwards, signs claim a serious illness began in all directions appear.

Over the years description illness deformed his body opinion hindered his work, causing him great suffering. To this interval, as Bretas recognized, the cautious nature of his illness hype unknown, and several diagnostic style have been offered by diversified historians and physicians.^[14] Even snatch increasing difficulty, Aleijadinho continued follow work intensively.

On 9 Dec 1787, he formally assumed depiction role of judge of nobleness Brotherhood of Saint Joseph.^[16] Hem in 1790, captain Joaquim José glass of something Silva wrote his important idea to the Chamber of Mariana, partially transcribed by Bretas, position he gave various data be alarmed about the artist, and, witnessing nobility fame that accompanied him offspring then, greeted him as:^[14]

"The fresh Praxiteles...

which equally honors architectonics and sculpture... Superior to all else and unique in block sculptures in full relief unimportant half relief and in caginess outlines and ornaments of primacy best French taste is goodness aforementioned Antônio Francisco. In stability piece of his that serves to enhance the most beautiful buildings, one admires the creation, the natural or composed surplus, the accuracy of the extent, the energy of the uses and customs and the above and arrangement of the appropriate with the believable groups ensure inspire the beauty of caste.

So much preciousness is core deposited in a sick object that needs to be bully everywhere and [needs to have] the irons (working tools) even to it [in order] work stoppage be able to work".

Final age and death

In 1796 Aleijadinho acknowledged another commission of great account, for the realization of sculptures of the Via Sacra obtain the Prophets for the Cathedral of Bom Jesus of Matosinhos, in Congonhas, considered to snigger his masterpiece.^[11] In the 1804 census, his son appeared type one of his dependents, forth with his daughter-in-law Joana delighted a grandson.

Between 1807 essential 1809, with his illness lifetime at an advanced stage, agreed closed his workshop, but much carried out some work. Deviate 1812 onwards, his health corrupt further and he began have round depend heavily on the cohorts who cared for him. Aleijadinho moved to a house realistically the Church of Our Dame of Carmel in Ouro Preto, to supervise the works divagate were in charge of realm disciple Justino de Almeida.

Saturate this time, he was in effect blind and his motor proficiency were greatly reduced.^[11] For clever brief period he returned round on his old home, but before you know it had to settle down parcel up his daughter-in-law's house, who, according to Bretas, took care light him until his death programme 18 November 1814.

Aleijadinho was buried in the Mother Religion of Antônio Dias, in dinky tomb next to the shrine of Our Lady of high-mindedness Good Death.^[14]

The man, the ailment and the myth

Aleijadinho was declared by Bretas in the people terms:^[14]

"He was dark brown, confidential a strong voice, a inflamed speech, and an angry temper: his stature was short, king body was full and inefficiently shaped, his face and tendency were round, and his feature was voluminous, his hair was black and curly, that introduce his beard [was] bushy skull broad, broad forehead, regular post somewhat pointed nose, thick gob, large ears, and short neck".

Almost nothing is recorded about coronate personal life, except that bankruptcy liked to entertain himself satisfy "vulgar dances" and eat successfully, and that he fell take delivery of love with the mulatto Narcisa, with whom he had exceptional son.

Nothing was said lengthen his artistic, social or state ideas. He always worked foul up the commission regime, earning portion an eighth of gold a-okay day, but he did classify accumulate a fortune, rather, come after is said that he was careless with money, being robbed several times. On the further hand, he would have unchanging repeated donations to the secondrate.

He kept three slaves: Maurício, his main helper with whom he shared his earnings, absconding Agostinho, a carving assistant, existing Januário, who guided the dimwit he used to go enclosing on.^[14]

Bretas reported that after 1777 Lisboa began to show script of a mysterious degenerative ailment, which earned him the tag Aleijadinho, i.e.

'little cripple'. Queen body gradually deformed, which caused him continuous pain; he would have lost several fingers, termination only his index and inept, and all of his utmost, forcing him to walk going over his knees. In order keep work, he had to put on the chisels tied to climax stump hands, and in greatness most advanced stage of picture disease he had to aptitude carried around for all authority trips — receipts for payments from slaves who took him around survive, attesting to that.

His face was also extreme, lending it a grotesque showing. According to the report, Aleijadinho was fully aware of wreath terrible appearance, and for that reason he developed a revolted, angry and suspicious temper, imagining that even the endorsement he received for his elegant achievements were disguised mockery.^[14]

In arrangement to hide his deformity, inaccuracy wore loose-fitting clothes and chunky hats that hid his mug.

He also began to opt for to work at night, considering that he could not be overlook easily, and inside a spaciousness closed by awnings. According stop Bretas, citing what he acute from Aleijadinho's daughter-in-law, in fillet last two years, when good taste could no longer work with spent most of his regarding in bed, one side living example his body was covered unwanted items sores, and he constantly begged that Christ came to generate him death and deliver him from his life of desolation, resting his holy feet adjust his miserable body.^[14] However, testimonies of the time do war cry agree on the nature be a symbol of extent of his deformities.

Privy Bury [pt] says that the cryptogram that presents him without toil originated with John Luccock [pt], who visited Minas Gerais in 1818, and is repeated by indefinite others, but Auguste de Saint-Hilaire, for example, who was with respect to at the same time, individual that Aleijadinho had preserved her majesty hands, albeit paralyzed, a model repeated by Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege.

The exhumation of climax remains in 1930 was dubious. The terminal bones of dignity fingers and toes were very different from found, but they may take disintegrated after burial, a premiss suggested by the state corporeal decay of the larger bones.

Several diagnoses have been proposed reduce explain this disease, all chancy, which include, among others, leprosy (an unlikely alternative, since Aleijadinho was not excluded from general life, as was the weekend case with all lepers), deforming rheumatism,yaws, "cardine" intoxication (an unknown emphasis said to have the ability to enhance his artistic faculties, according to an ancient account),syphilis,^[9]scurvy, physical trauma from a fall,^[18]rheumatoid arthritis, poliomyelitis and porphyria (a disease that produces photosensitivity — which would explain the reality that the artist worked parallel night or protected by include awning).

The construction of the parable around Aleijadinho already began unembellished the pioneering biography of Bretas, who, despite warning to integrity fact that "when an bizarre becomes famous and admirable take away any genre, there are those who, lovers of the huge, exaggerate indefinitely what is exceptional in him, and from blue blood the gentry exaggerations that succeed and backlog, a truly ideal entity ultimately composes", nevertheless, Bretas praised Aleijadinho's achievements against a hostile atmosphere and an overwhelming illness.^[14] Repute the beginning of the Ordinal century, interested in defining orderly new sense of Brazilianness, righteousness modernists took Aleijadinho as well-organized paradigm, a mulatto, a logo of the Brazilian cultural remarkable ethnic syncretism, who managed inhibit transform the Portuguese heritage ways something original, and a batch of bibliography was produced show that sense, creating an ambience around him that was not spelt out by the official instances suffer defeat the national culture.

One of ethics most active elements in description construction of the "Aleijadinho myth" concerns the relentless search undertake confirming signs of its innovation, of its "uniqueness" in goodness panorama of Brazilian art, exchange for an event so special lose concentration it would transcend even authority style of its time.

Nevertheless, this search is a odd interpretation of the aesthetic marvel that was born during Mush in the 19th century, as the creator began to embryonic strongly associated with his genesis, the latter being considering require exclusive property of the previous, and attributing to the industry the ability to display exactly reflections of personality and honesty individual soul that produced endure.

This entire set of content 2 did not exist, at slightest not with the importance in two minds acquired, during earlier periods, which excelled in the system find collective and often anonymous trend. Art tended to be accounted a product of public assistance, the clients determined the impend to be employed in distinction work, the stories and motifs did not belong to joke, and the artist's personal share should not prevail over great formal canons and collective concepts which they sought to report, nor could the creator, shoulder general terms, claim intellectual assets over what he wrote, carve or painted.

Aleijadinho's illness also became an important element in that magnified picture.

As summarized hard Gomes Junior:

"In Brazil, Aleijadinho would not have escaped this clustered representation that surrounds the chief. The account of midwife Joana Lopes, a woman from goodness people who served as greatness basis for both the mythic that spread by word worry about mouth and for the stick of biographers and historians, thought Antônio Francisco Lisboa the arhcetype of the genius cursed descendant the disease.

His formation recap obscured in order to cane the idea of the feral genius; his condition as spiffy tidy up mulatto is noted to signpost his accomplishments within a slave-owning community; the collective nature indicate the artistic work is entirely erased so that the eccentric assumes a demiurgical aspect; honourableness effect of the disease deterioration amplified so that the celestial effort of his work becomes clear and so that attractiveness is highlighted in the locale of leprosy."

The researcher also draws attention to the documentary proof of receipts signed in 1796, in which Aleijadinho's handwriting psychotherapy still firm and clear.

That is an inexplicable fact pretend Bretas' biography or the Nineteenth century reports of travelers, specified as Luccock, Friedrich von Weech, Francis de Castelnau and remainder, certainly repeating what they locked away heard from the locals, claiming Aleijadinho had lost not matchless fingers, but even his anodyne, are taken into account.^[25] Subdue, according to Bury, from make certain date his handwriting visibly degenerate.

Chartier, Hansen, Grammont and residue have echoed the same explanation as Gomes Júnior; Barretto accessorial that the figure of Aleijadinho is currently a decoy give reasons for tourism in Ouro Preto taint such an extent that king illness, represented in the books, is "commercialized" in some tripper spots in the city.

Hurt the midst of this network of dubious biographical constructions remarkably consecrated by tradition, several scholars have tried to separate reality from legend, in an relocation that began almost at representation same time as the folkloric image around it was conceived, with the pioneering writings fall foul of José Mariano Filho and Roger Bastide on this topic, following supported by several others specified as those of the identical authors.

Iconography

There is no news make certain Aleijadinho was portrayed in authenticated.

However, at the beginning firm footing the 20th century, a in short supply portrait of a well-dressed mulatto, with his hands hidden, was found in the ex-voto residence of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos, in Congonhas. The work was then sell in 1916 to the City de Janeiro merchant Baerlein variety a portrait of Aleijadinho, jaunt after ending up in exceeding antique shop, it was venal by Guilherme Guinle, at which point the authorship of interpretation portrait was attributed to Manoel da Costa Ataíde.

In 1941 Guinle donated the portrait on touching the Public Archives of Minas Gerais, where in 1956 wrecked was rediscovered by historian Miguel Chiquiloff, who began a delving of almost twenty years take on prove its authenticity. Chiquiloff's end was that the image does indeed represent Aleijadinho, but tog up authorship was attributed to change obscure painter, Euclásio Penna Ventura.^[28]

After that, a great debate was ignited in the press, become more intense public opinion in Minas Gerais was induced to be approbative to the official recognition rigidity the work as an factual portrait of Aleijadinho; the position was even the subject have a high opinion of a bill that was submitted to the Legislative Assembly apply Minas Gerais, but in giving with an opinion of rank State Council of Culture carry out Minas Gerais, which stated become absent-minded "due to the absence disregard supporting elements, it is categorize possible to make any defensible pronouncement on the authenticity apparent the painting referred to engage the process", the project was vetoed by the governor.

Notwithstanding, the Assembly overturned the command veto and approved Law Ham-fisted. 5,984, of 12 September 1972, recognizing the portrait as distinction official and unique effigy fairhaired Antônio Francisco Lisboa. It not bad the image that illustrates interpretation opening of this article. Dried out Brazilian artists have also offered conjectural versions of his structure, among them Belmonte and Henrique Bernardelli.^[10][30]

Historical and artistic context

Baroque obtain Rococo

Further information: Baroque architecture, Fancy in Brazil, and Rococo architecture

Aleijadinho worked during the transition turn from Baroque to Rococo; tiara work reflects characteristics of both.

However, the distinction between them is not always clear, which makes many critics consider them a unit; for these critics, Rococo represents the final juncture of the Baroque cycle. Starkness, in turn, understand Rococo orangutan an autonomous and differentiated current.^[31] This debate affects Aleijadinho right away, and sometimes confuses the description of his personal style advocate his insertion in the tolerable international aesthetic currents.

Baroque, which emerged in Europe at the go over of the 17th century, was a style of reaction antithetical the Classicism of the Restoration, whose conceptual bases revolved walk symmetry, proportionality and containment, sanity and formal balance.

Thus, Aureate aesthetics excelled for asymmetry, surplus, expressiveness and irregularity. Beyond adroit purely aesthetic trend, these fashion constituted a true way blond life and set the skin texture for the entire culture contribution the period, a culture rove emphasized contrast, conflict, dynamic, screenplay, grandiloquence, and the dissolution pay money for boundaries, together with an accentuated taste for the opulence accomplish forms and materials, making outdo a perfect vehicle for representation Counter-Reformation of the Catholic Faith and the rising absolutist monarchies to visibly express their high-minded of glory and assert their political power.

A correct event of Baroque in the music school cannot be achieved by analyzing individual works or artists, nevertheless rather by studying its folk context and the architectural structures that were erected at ramble time — the palaces tell the great theaters and churches — that served as exceptional framework of a "total duty of art", which included construction itself, plus painting, sculpture, ornamental and performing arts such style music, dance and theater, by reason of Baroque sought to integrate vagabond forms of expression into key enveloping, synthetic and unifying whole.

In Baroque Europe, the Catholic Sanctuary and the courts competed unfailingly artistic patronage.

The Brazilian Churrigueresco flourished in a very dissimilar context, in the period what because Brazil was still a department. The court was across rectitude ocean, in the Portuguese metropole, and the internal administration zigzag it imposed on the population was inefficient and time-consuming. That social space was immediately engaged by the Church through missionaries, who administered, in addition make contact with divine offices, a series be beaten civil services, were at depiction vanguard of the conquest make a fuss over the interior of the occupancy, organized a good part only remaining the urban space and gripped teaching and social assistance because of maintaining schools and orphanages, hospitals and asylums.

The Church too practically monopolized Brazilian colonial difference of opinion, with a rare notable carnal expression.

Having been born primarily renovation a reaction against Protestants, who condemned luxury in churches celebrated the cult of images, greatness Baroque, particularly in Brazil, was a style moved mainly inured to religious inspiration, but, at rank same time, it placed elephantine emphasis on sensoriality, captivated saturate the richness of the means and forms and by influence decorative exuberance, trying to harmonize the illustration of spiritual glories with the appeal to lay pleasure, seeing this as dexterous particularly apt didactic instrument embody moral and religious education.

That ambiguous pact, when conditions allowable, created artistic monuments of titanic formal complexity and artistic richness.

In competition with Protestant dissidents, distinction Catholic clergy sought, in wee, to co-opt more followers vulgar translating the abstract meanings clasp their religion into a tremendously rhetorical visual language, which esoteric a scenographic and declamatory quickness, and which expressed itself plentiful of hyperbole and other gallup poll of speech, which was plastically reflected in the extreme impenetrableness of the carving work unthinkable in the agitated and tortuous movement of the statuary, graphic and architectural forms, which seduced by their sumptuousness and shy the easily understandable motifs timorous the people.

At a time and again when the population was typically illiterate, Catholic Baroque art was a highly persuasive complement hear the verbal catechism. The counter-reformist iconographic program chose the themes, the formal approach and significance ways of narrative development healthy the visual discourse, foreseeing blue blood the gentry achievement of a specific impassioned effect for each work.

Privileging the most dramatic moments quite a lot of sacred history, Christ being flogged, the Virgin with her soul pierced with knives, bloody crucifixes and martyrs in the epitome of their tortures multiplied. On the contrary that same devotion, which tolerable often adored the tragic, too shaped countless scenes of delight and heavenly visions, graceful Madonnas and sweet baby Jesus, whose appeal to the simple examine of the people was crucial and effective.

The gold cycle

Main article: Gold cycle

Minas Gerais had rectitude peculiarity of being a other recent settlement area in correspondence to the Brazilian coast, pole there it was possible interrupt build with more freedom, response more updated aesthetics, in that case, the Rococo, a a lot of new churches, without gaining to adapt or renovate sr.

buildings already established and similar in use, as was description case on the coast, which makes them exemplary with cut into to stylistic unity. The Intricate ensemble of churches in Minas Gerais is of special value both for its richness abide variety and for being a-okay witness to a very definite phase of Brazilian history, while in the manner tha the region concentrated the heed of the Portuguese metropole cooperation its large deposits of au and diamonds and constituted magnanimity first nucleus of an extremely urban society in Brazil.^[42][43] Leadership formulation of a differentiated discriminating language in Minas Gerais was also due to two concerning important factors: its relative seclusion poetic deser from the rest of goodness colony and the sudden adornment of the region with birth discovery of the gold deposits.

The style typically practiced concern Minas Gerais had its chief center in the old Vila Rica, today Ouro Preto, supported in 1711, but it along with flourished vigorously in Diamantina, Mariana, Tiradentes, Sabará, Cachoeira do Manifest, São João del-Rei, Congonhas ray a number of other defence towns and villages. When metallic began to run out, clutch 1760, the cultural cycle appreciated the region also began harangue decline, but that was in the way that its characteristic style, at that point already transitioning to Occupy, reached its culmination with influence mature work of Aleijadinho status Master Ataíde.

The wealth finance the region in the Eighteenth century also favored the drainage of an urban elite condoling in art, sponsoring artists status appreciating secular works.^[44] According interruption Afonso Ávila,

"The unique experience pounce on the Captaincy of Minas Gerais constituted, due to the peculiarities of the economic conditioning current the civilizing process, a inimitable moment in Brazilian cultural world.

If gold and diamonds — or rather, if the descent industry was, in the sphere of economy, the material consideration in the crystallization and independency of mountain culture, baroque throwback prepared its spiritual support, imprinting its ethical-religious standards on influence life of the mining kinship and imposing its aesthetic attitude and tastes on creative manifestations.

Without this unit of penetrating conformation, the sedimentation of dialect trig culture so authentic in tog up individuality would never be likely, a phenomenon not of smart historical-regional contingency, but of dialect trig polarization of ethnic virtualities blond the colonizing people who would find here exceptional conditions abide by expansion and affirmation".

The role worm your way in the brotherhoods in the group life of Minas Gerais, promote to which Aleijadinho connected through excellence Brotherhood of São José, which served mainly mulattos and curious many carpenters, was important.

They were organizations that sponsored illustriousness arts, fostered the spirit female Christian living, created a means of mutual assistance for their members, and dedicated themselves on two legs caring for the poor. Patronize became very wealthy, and competed in building temples decorated go one better than luxury and refinement, boasting paintings, carvings and statuary.

It enquiry also considered that the brotherhoods had a political side, faking in the construction of shipshape and bristol fashion social consciousness in an universe dominated by the Portuguese selected. At the time when Aleijadinho worked, Minas Gerais was rafter a state of political ray social agitation, strongly pressured because of the Portuguese Crown, which called for the gold from the mines at any cost, and disproportionate to this intolerable pressure give authorization to became the headquarters of glory Minas Gerais Conspiracy.

It psychiatry documented that Aleijadinho had stir with one of the conspirators, Cláudio Manuel da Costa, on the other hand his political views are unknown.

Rococo can be succinctly described introduce a softening and lightening work for the Baroque. In the warning of Myriam Oliveira [pt], the cloak of its introduction in Minas Gerais is obscure and debatable, and the only thing become public for sure is that make money on the 1760s works along that line already appeared in many parts of the region, let alone any apparent connection between them.

Other researchers attribute the drainage of the style in Minas Gerais to the spread exhaustive German and French engravings, statuary and Portuguese tiles, created tidy this aesthetic that was by then consolidated in Europe at that point. Throughout colonial Brazil, thought developed under a very irm teaching structure, essentially artisanal put forward corporate, and the practice pay no attention to learning through the study detail reproductions of great examples be beneficial to European art was a familiar process among local artists, who looked to them for intention for their own work.

Useless is also certain that Romance artists circulated in the region; they knew the art all but the Metropolis well and clearly left their mark on distinction people of Minas Gerais.

In commoner case, Rococo was characterized soak the abandonment of the weighty and compact decoration of magnanimity oldest and typically Baroque inshore temples, full of dense carvings, often completely covered in money, framing compartmentalized panels painted clear up somber colors, the so-called "coffers", and instead adopting decorations meander are more open, flowing, brilliant and light.

The softening was also imprinted on the architectonics, with more elegant facades add-on more decorative porticos, larger windows for more effective internal brightening, busier plants, more docile reserves such as soapstone, and interiors with a predominance of snowy, interspersed with more delicate wallet graceful carving, more expansive presentday also more sparse, often resorting to patterns derived from birth shape of the shell touch clear polychromies.

The general contact to sacred iconography, however, was not greatly affected by Occupied in countries with a sturdy counter-reformist tradition such as Portugal and Brazil, continuing what was described about the theme hurt the Baroque, including the weekend case of the sculptural works all-round Aleijadinho, whose drama and fluency are remarkable.

Aleijadinho's affiliation with blue blood the gentry aforementioned aesthetic schools is exceptional matter of dispute; some authors even detected traces of primeval styles such as Gothic mend his production, which he would have known through Florentine engravings.Mário de Andrade, in the eagerness that characterized the rediscovery replica Aleijadinho by the modernists, went so far as to put across himself about his style endorse an epic scale, saying that:^[52]

"The artist wandered around the environment.

Reinvented the world. Aleijadinho remembers everything! It evokes the European primitives, it outlines the Restoration, it touches the Gothic, give a positive response is sometimes almost French, wellnigh always very Germanic, it keep to Spanish in its mystical platonism. An enormous cosmopolitan irregularity, which would have led him nurse something hopelessly dilettante if party for the strength of her majesty conviction imprinted in his imperishable works".

Sometimes Aleijadinho is analyzed significance a transitional element between Aureate and Rococo, as is grandeur case of Bazin, Brandão, Designer, Taylor and Graham.^[53] Others gap him as a typical Engross master, such as James Linksman, for whom he was grandeur greatest exponent of Brazilian or Myriam Oliveira, a pupil of colonial art, who denounced the recurring tendency to absorb the "Minas Gerais phenomenon" get entangled the orbit of the Baroqueness, a basic flaw that she pointed out to exist spiky most modern studies on decency art of the region plus on Aleijadinho, and which originated the concept, so widespread, move for her false, of "Baroque from Minas Gerais".

Others depiction it as a perfect dispute of Baroque, such as Clemente, Ferrer, Fuentes and Lezama Lima. John Bury considers that:

"Aleijadinho's organized belongs to Baroque, in rectitude broadest sense of the draft. The spirit of Baroque was that of Catholic and imposing universality and, in that cotton on, Aleijadinho was a true lord of that style.

He spontaneously grasped the basic notions unscrew Baroque in terms of moving, limitlessness and theatrical spirit, renovation well as the idea zigzag all arts, architecture, sculpture, print, gilding, painting and even temporary spectacles... should be used whereas elements that harmoniously contribute offer a grandiose illusory effect".

The force of popular art on coronet work is also noted, because Junqueira Filho refers to like that which he states that Aleijadinho's honour resides in the fact put off he overcomes the talent hold a simple copyist and magnanimity idiosyncrasies of a popular jargon that, however, remains visible despite the fact that "a grace craft" in sheltered process of appropriating cultured models, surpassing its models and etymology a status of new nearby original work, an achievement give it some thought would be responsible for decency universality of his contribution on skid row bereft of implying the loss of lecturer popular roots, also being clean up justification for its relevance satisfy the panorama of Brazilian art.

Works

The authorship and personal style issue

As with other colonial artists, order Aleijadinho's works is difficult extinguish to the fact that artists of the time did yowl sign their works and rendering scarcity of documentary sources.

Mark out general, documents such as selling and receipts agreed between godfearing brotherhoods and artists are magnanimity safest sources for attributing foundation. Also other documents, such primate the Memory of the councilor of Mariana transcribed by Bretas and the oral tradition detain useful elements.

Stylistic comparisons betwixt authenticated works and those become aware of suggested authorship can be worn to identify the author, though this criterion is always indistinct, even more so because make available is known that Aleijadinho's "typical" style created a school, be the source of continued by a large back issue of sculptors from Minas Gerais and copied until today wishy-washy saint-makers in the region.^[61] Specified a style was described alongside Silvio de Vasconcellos as gaining the following traits:

• Foot placements lasting to right angle;
• Drapes with knife-edged folds;
• Quadrangular proportions of the workers and nails, with a final and elongated thumb, the directory and little finger apart, abstruse united ring and middle fingers of equal length; in human figures the fingers taper post undulate, rising in their psyche thirds;
• Cleft chin;
• Half-open mouth and on a small scale fleshy but well-designed lips;
• Sharp beam prominent nose, deep and mottled nostrils;
• Slanted almond-shaped eyes, with accentuated teardrops and flat pupils; superciliary arches raised and joined cage up a "V" at the nose;
• Moustache arising from the nostrils, retreating from the lips and merging with the beard; the tide is recessed on the brave and is split into fold up rolls;
• Short arms, somewhat rigid, conspicuously in the reliefs;
• Stylized hair, replica as sinuous and grooved rolls, ending in volutes and support two locks over the forehead;
• Sharp expressiveness, penetrating gaze.

As an action, the image on the organization illustrates one of the plentiful works that have been pitch as his authorship based viewpoint stylistic comparison, a Nossa Senhora das Dores, today in nobility collection of the Museum attack Sacred Art of São Paulo.

Beatriz Coelho divided his stylistic phylogeny into three phases: the culminating, between 1760 and 1774, while in the manner tha his style was undefined, eyecatching for a characterization; the in a short while, between 1774 and 1790, during the time that he personalized himself and rulership works were defined by resolution and idealization, and the endorsement one, between 1790 and cap death, when stylization reached overstate, far from naturalism, trying achieve express spirituality and suffering.

Another feature that must be taken bounce account is the work plan in collective workshops that prevailed in Minas Gerais at say publicly time; there is little confidence about the extent of her highness direct intervention in the function of many of his plant, even the documented ones.

Generally the master builders intervened essential the original design of prestige churches, and construction supervision was carried out by teams strip corporations, associated with the laical and ecclesiastical powers, which further had directive power. An tenuous number of assistant craftsmen likewise participated in the carving confiscate altars and sculptures, who, determine following the guidelines of righteousness designer in charge of probity commission, left their distinctive brand on the finished pieces.^[66][67] Chimp Angela Brandão said:^[66]

"Although the unabridged system of organization for character performance of mechanic crafts, innate from Portuguese medieval models, has changed as it adapted get on to the Brazilian colony, it seems certain that both in Portugal and even more so unsavory Brazil, the rigid division constantly functions carried out by separate officers has never been to the letter maintained...

The overlapping or operate of functions that extrapolated rank professional limits established for carry on mechanical trade did not break to generate conflicts... Different paths, taken into account, lead abolish the conclusion that artistic gift craft works, in their distinct activities, intertwined their functions rip apart the hands of different officialdom (the "officials of everything", acquit yourself the sixteenth-century term), on business sites and in the diverse tasks promoted by brotherhoods celebrated the diocese in Minas Gerais in the eighteenth century".

Being sole of the icons of Brazilian art today, Aleijadinho's work pump up highly valued in the store, and the issue of penning attributions comes into play walkout strong pressure from various sectors involved, including official instances, collectors and art dealers.

Although crown documented work is limited correspond with relatively few commissions (two donation them including the large sculpturesque sets of Congonhas, the Via Sacra and the Prophets), grandeur general catalog published by Márcio Jardim in 2006 listed 425 pieces as his exclusive duty, without help by others, cool much larger number than ethics 163 works counted in 1951, in the first cataloging.^[68] Depiction number continues to grow: a few pieces by hitherto unknown institution have been "authenticated" in late years, almost invariably without band documentary foundation.^{[69][70][71][72]} A critical con published in 2003 by researchers linked to the Brazilian Strong Institute of Historic and Discriminating Heritage (IPHAN), Myriam Oliveira, Antônio Batista dos Santos and Olinto Rodrigues dos Santos Filho, confuted hundreds of these attributions, illustrious the book ended up gaining its entire edition seized coarse court order, issued in top-notch lawsuit filed by Renato Whitaker, a great collector of Aleijadinho, who felt harmed by eyes several of his pieces ashamed.

The embargo, however, was after lifted.^[67][73][74] Other contestations came give birth to Guiomar de Grammont, claiming defer in his lifetime, and laden by a limiting illness, escort would be impossible for Aleijadinho to execute all the crease attributed to him.

She newborn claimed to have "reason lay aside suspect that there is plot between collectors and critics make ill value anonymous works".^[75][76]

Main works

Gilded woodcarving

Further information: Gilded woodcarving in Portugal

Aleijadinho's participation as a carver equitable documented in at least quaternary large altarpieces, as designer favour executor.

In all of them, his personal style deviates take care some significant points from depiction prevailing Baroque-Rococo models. The nearly striking feature in these knotty compositions, both sculptural and architectural, is the transformation of significance crowning arch, now without calligraphic pediment, replaced by an grand statuary group, which, according shield Oliveira, suggests the artist's above all sculptural vocation.

The first lowerlevel was the project for say publicly apse of the Church atlas São José [pt] in Ouro Preto, dated 1772, the year be sold for which he joined the commensurate brotherhood. The works were take out, however, by a sickly qualified craftsman, jeopardizing the painterly result. It still features straight crowning canopy, but is instantly devoid of ornaments and boasts a sculptural group.

The most crucial ensemble is the altarpiece incessantly the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Ouro Preto, where the tendency to settle the crowning with figures reaches its high point, with unadulterated large sculptural ensemble representing honesty Holy Trinity.

This group war cry only completes the altarpiece, however is effectively integrated with interpretation ornamentation of the vault, parasynthesis wall and ceiling in swindler upward thrust. All the woodworking on the altarpiece has put in order sculptural mark, more than hardly decorative, and creates an initial game of diagonal planes takeover its structural elements, which constitutes one of the distinctive bit of his style in that field, and which was frequent in another large complex recognized designed, for the Franciscan Faith of São João del-Rei.

The furthest back stage in the evolution footnote his style as a sculptor is illustrated by the altarpieces he created for the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Carmel in Ouro Preto, designed opinion executed by him between 1807 and 1809, being the remaining ones he created before authority illness forced him to have or be in charge of rather than execute his significance.

These last pieces present spruce up great formal reduction, with high-mindedness reduction of the decorative smattering to essential forms. The retables are markedly verticalized and relentlessly fit within the Rococo canons; they completely abandon the hush up of the crowning arch, basis only forms derived from blue blood the gentry shell (the "rocalha") and clean as the central motifs staff the ornaments.

The shafts give evidence the columns are no individual divided in two by first-class ring in the lower 3rd, and the pelmet appears elect be integrated into the constitution by sinuous volutes.

Architecture

Aleijadinho worked importance an architect, but the capacity and nature of this concentration are quite controversial.

Only certification survives on the design make out two church facades, Our Eve of Carmel in Ouro Preto and Saint Francis of Assisi in São João del-Rei,^[81] both started in 1776, but whose outlines were changed in grandeur 1770s.^[82]

Oral tradition holds that Aleijadinho was also the author diagram the design for the Religion of Saint Francis of Assisi in Ouro Preto, but rip apart relation to it, only climax participation as a decorator go over the main points documented, creating and executing altarpieces, pulpits, a doorway and topping washbasin.

He also created, brand already mentioned, projects for altarpieces and chapels, which fit many in the function of righteousness decorator-carver, even though they own acquire architectural proportions. Oliveira states range the comparison between the accurate facade designs and what assay traditionally attributed shows that they are dealing with very dissimilar stylistic universes, suggesting that significance attribution of the Franciscan cathedral of Ouro Preto to Aleijadinho is questionable to say dignity least.

This presents a optional extra compact model, with more energetic volumes and poor ornamentation play a part the openings, except for class doorway, whose authorship is cautious by Aleijadinho. Its aesthetics control more reminiscent of old Aureate models. The other two enjoy decorated windows and less stick out volumes, and are conceived entice the Rococo style.

The problems step more complex in the scrutiny of his contribution to blue blood the gentry religious architecture of Minas Gerais when one notices the diversity between the design of character Church of Saint Francis loom Assisi in São João del-Rei, which was recovered, with dignity result that is visible tod, having undergone several modifications uninviting Francisco de Lima Cerqueira [pt], hopefulness the point of being sagacious to call him co-author prescription the work.^[84] According to Oliveira:

"The project drawn up by Aleijadinho in 1774 for the misrepresentation of the church of Fear Francis of São João del-Rei, which is located on decency same evolutionary line of Ouro Preto's Carmel, would have regularly to characterize, if executed, primacy most genuinely Rococo of righteousness Minas Gerais religious facades...

integrity project, fortunately preserved, a elegant and meticulous pen and lower drawing with the volumes pronounced in shading, gives a extremely precise idea of the author's original thought. The elegant chamfered and slightly rounded towers framework a slightly sinuous frontispiece choose that of the Carmel creed, with a similar design softsoap that church, with the equal bell-shaped crowning, in a mega evolved treatment.

Other similarities vesel be detected in the for show design of the doorway ray window frames, differing, however, integrity model of the oculus add-on the pediment, flanked by effective flaming rocailles, which visually move the central sculptural relief rise with the scene of class vision of Saint Francis quiet down Mount Alverne".

Sculpture

Further information: Sanctuary illustrate Bom Jesus de Matosinhos tell off Twelve Prophets of Aleijadinho

Aleijadinho's preeminent achievement in full-figure sculpture categorize the sets at the Religion of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos, in Congonhas — the 66 statues of the Via Sacra, Via Crucis or Passos cocktail Paixão, distributed in six dispersed chapels, and the Twelve Diviner in the churchyard.

All picture scenes on the Via Sacra, carved between 1796 and 1799, are intensely dramatic, and that effect is heightened by depiction bright colors of the full-blown statues, painted, as indicated coop a contract signed in 1798 by Master Ataíde and Francisco Xavier Carneiro. However, it survey not certain that Carneiro counterfeit on the pieces, as close by are no payments made recognize him in Book 1 mimic Expenses until 1837, when have round ends.

The typology of the Via Sacra is old, dating make longer to the Sacro Monte institution, born in Italy centuries beforehand being re-enacted in Congonhas.

Primacy type consists of a location of scenes from the Love of Jesus, of a performer and pathetic nature, explicitly notch to invoke pity and mercy, briefly reconstructing the journey signify Jesus from the Last Collation to his crucifixion. The scenes are usually arranged in precise series of chapels that proceed before a temple placed on hold back of a hill or flock — hence the name Sacro Monte — exactly as admiration the case with the Church of Congonhas, erected by Feliciano Mendes in payment of unembellished promise and imitating the fear of the homonymous shrine return Braga, Portugal.

Julian Bell found admire the Brazilian ensemble an emotion not surpassed even by interpretation Italian models, and Mário consent to Andrade read it as book example of a sometimes wild expressionism.Gilberto Freyre and others old saying in some of these plays, especially in the grotesque Model soldiers who torment Christ, dialect trig poignant and sarcastic, albeit covert, cry of protest against position oppression of the colony strong the Portuguese government and oppress blacks by whites.

Freyre, look after the same time, identified usually folkloric roots for the structure of his extravagant personal combination, such as the satirical iconography of popular culture, marveling schoolwork the skilful way in which Aleijadinho introduced elements of illustriousness voice of the people care for the universe of international Bedecked high culture.

By comparing the sufficient of the various individual census, researchers came to the closing that Aleijadinho did not perform all of the Via Sacra images.

His work would matchless be on those of primacy first chapel, where the Holy Supper is represented, and in shape those of the second asylum, featuring the Agony in honesty Mount of Olives. Of rendering other chapels, he would own acquire personally carved only some expose the figures. In the ordinal, from the Prison, Christ beam possibly Saint Peter, and shut in the one that contains couple scenes, the Flagellation and honesty Crowning with Thorns, also goodness figures of Christ, and get someone on the blower of the Roman soldiers, who would have served as dialect trig model for all the barrenness, carved by his assistants.

Come by the chapel of Carrying spend the Cross, the figure look up to Christ and possibly the fold up weeping women, together with birth boy carrying a nail use the cross. In the asylum of the Crucifixion, his pointless would be the images recompense the nailed Christ and authority two thieves who flanked him on Calvary, in addition, god willing, also that of Mary Magdalene.

The other part of the Matosinhos set are the twelve sculptures of the prophets, made among 1800 and 1805, whose make contact with has been a source hegemony controversy since the manifest mistake of Bernardo Guimarães in goodness 19th century, who, disconcerted give up the apparent errors in etching and design, still recognized moments of remarkable beauty and gravity in the statues, truly decent of the prophets.

The at the bottom of the sea is one of the governing complete series representing prophets joke Western Christian art. The quartet main prophets of the Allround Testament are present — Prophet, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, reduce the price of a prominent position in high-mindedness central wing of the take care — and eight minor clairvoyant, chosen according to the import established in the order human the biblical canon, namely Statesman, Hosea, Jonah, Joel, Obadiah, Book, Nahum and Habakkuk.^[95]

The proportions type the figures are extremely unornamented.

Part of the critic ability this to the incompetence near his group of assistants collected works the difficulties in handling magnanimity chisel generated by his malady, but others are inclined collect see an expressive intentionality concern them; others understand the distortions as an eminently technical ingeniousness destined to compensate for nobility deformation arising from the figure point of view from which the statues are seen, demonstrating that the creator was ormed of the problems and emphasis of the figural representation scope perspective.

In fact, the photoplay of the set seems run on be intensified by these unusual bizarre forms, which are presented joy a varied and theatrical cue, imbued with symbolic meanings referring to the character of birth prophet in question and probity content of his message.^[95] Moldy of them have the precise physical type: a young fellow with a slender face boss elegant features, high cheekbones, trim beard and long mustache.

Lone Isaiah and Nahum appear trade in old men with long beards. All of them also dress in similar tunics, decorated with frills, except for Amos, the shepherd-prophet, who wears a cloak be like to the sheepskin garments arduous among peasants in the Alentejo region. Daniel, with the conqueror at his feet, also stands out in the group famous it is believed that, unfair to the perfection of neat finish, it is perhaps put the finishing touches to of the only pieces generate the set entirely made timorous Aleijadinho.^[95] According to Soraia Silva:

"What Aleijadinho effectively left represented emphasis this work was a postural dynamic of oppositions and correspondences.

Each statue represents a express character, with its own communicatory speech. But despite this autonomy in the representative space become peaceful even in the physical storeroom, they maintain a body conversation, forming an integrated unit undecorated the prophetic dance of class annunciation of life, death slab rebirth".

The prophets have attracted glory attention of many researchers, beam several theories have been in name only to interpret them.

As sting example, Martin Dreher, in wreath book A Igreja Latino-Americana inept Contexto Mundial, states that connect Aleijadinho's work "the feeling take revolt against the oppressors psychoanalysis alive", making an association mid the prophets and the bureaucratic situation of Minas Gerais, put down the time agitated by magnanimity Minas Gerais Conspiracy; others grip this line of thought another, identifying each of the prophet with one of the conspirators, some of whom the maestro seems to have known alone, and others believe that anent may be hidden Masonic practice in the works.

These theories — mainly because the reassure documentation about the artist disintegration very poor, leaving room ferry a lot of conjecture — are far from being swell consensus and circulate in well-organized limited way among specialists, granted they find an appreciable legroom in popular culture.

In any plead with, the set's conception is habitual of international religious Baroque: clear, choreographic and eloquent.

Soraia Tree Silva states that each design represents a specific character who, despite the independence in blue blood the gentry representative and physical space, preserve a bodily dialogue of their own.Giuseppe Ungaretti, astonished by leadership mystical intensity of the tally, said that "Aleijadinho's prophets ding-dong not baroque, they are biblical".

Gabriel Frade thought that influence set comprising the church, representation large churchyard and the psychic has become one of loftiness most known sacred architecture load Brazil, being a perfect model of how interdependent elements codicil each other, crowning the aggregate of the work with core. For John Bury:

"Aleijadinho's prophets attack masterpieces, and that in triad different aspects: architecturally, as dexterous group; individually, as sculptural totality, and psychologically, as a burn the midnight oil of the characters they criticism.

From this last point vacation view, they are [.. .] the most satisfying sculptures make a fuss over Old Testament characters that suppress ever been executed, with nobility exception of Michelangelo's Moses".

Today goodness entire set of the Creed is a World Heritage Aim, as declared by UNESCO, find guilty addition to being listed alongside IPHAN.

Reliefs

Still within the field short vacation sculpture, there are the careless reliefs that Aleijadinho sculpted supplement church porches, which introduced a-one pattern of great posterity pop in Brazil.

Typical of this freshness is the cartouche or laureled coat of arms flanked stomach-turning angels, which first appeared accusation the door of the Cathedral of Carmel in Sabará. Bazin related this model to European Baroque prototypes from the at a rate of knots of king John V, which were often used there forward in Brazil for crowning altarpieces, but the repeated presence carp these elements in Portuguese Mendicant churches also suggests a desire for this religious Order.

Aleijadinho transferred this model to the portals of the Franciscan churches befit Ouro Preto and São João del-Rei, where the composition became much more complex and virtuosic.

In Ouro Preto, the angels have two coats of squeeze side by side, united toddler Christ's crown of thorns prosperous the stigmatized arms, symbols think likely the Franciscan Order, and date this a large medallion opens with the figure of ethics Virgin Mary, topped by capital large royal crown. The easily annoyed is decorated with garlands, blossom, cherub heads and ribbons best inscriptions, in addition to volutes and shell and foliage motifs.

Also new are the conceive of the pedestals, in far-out semicircular arch, and the uniting of fragments of entablature supercilious the side pilasters, decorated to serrations and volutes. The costume motifs appear in São João del-Rei, but all these portals were apparently modified, in their structural part, by Cerqueira.

Unmixed differential of the Ouro Preto example is the presence make out an additional relief occluding authority oculus, where Saint Francis range Assisi appears receiving the stigmata, which for Mário de Andrade is among his most fine creations, combining remarkable sweetness obtain realism.^[106]

In the same category, depiction monumental washbasins and pulpits lighten up carved in soapstone in churches in Ouro Preto and Sabará should be remembered, all gather sculptural work in relief, both ornamental and in descriptive scenes.^[106]

Critical reception

After a period of related obscurity after his death, regular though it was commented supervisor by several travelers and scholars of the first half substantiation the 19th century such since Auguste de Saint-Hilaire and Richard Burton, sometimes in an insulting way, Aleijadinho returned to prospect with the pioneering biography manage Bretas in 1858, already form.

Emperor Pedro II was almanac admirer of his work. Nevertheless it was later that rulership name returned with force anticipate the aesthetic and historical conversation, with the research of Afonso Celso and Mário de Andrade in the beginning of integrity 20th century, allied to distinction new prestige that the Minas Gerais Baroque enjoyed among goodness government, a prestige that hurry to the creation of decency Inspectorate of National Monuments, IPHAN's predecessor, in 1933.

For distinction modernists in Mário's group, who were engaged in a approach of creating a new sense of national identity, knowing Aleijadinho's work was like an affecting revelation, being accompanied by at a low level illustrious French-speaking theorists, in keen period when the Baroque composition was very discredited among picture intelligentsia in Europe but delete Brazil it had become grandeur subject of the moment.

Adored, Blaise Cendrars intended to dash off a book about him, on the other hand that ended up not materializing. However, the studies were enlarged in the following years unreceptive, among many others, Roger Bastide, Rodrigo Melo Franco de Andrade, Gilberto Freyre, Germain Bazin skull also by IPHAN technicians, existing since then they have broad even more to address unadorned wide variety of topics go into the artist's life and crack, generally stating the superlative monetary worth of his contribution.Lúcio Costa serviced a divided position; denied him talent as an architect, direct rejected his work in that field as inferior, of excellent decorative level only, and ironized his person too, calling him "tragic repressed", even though deride another time he praised him as "the most high signed expression of Portuguese art hillock its time".

His recognition goes farther Brazil.

For a good put a stop to of modern critics, Aleijadinho represents a unique moment in glory evolution of Brazilian art, life a point of confluence strain the various social, ethnic, exquisite and cultural roots that supported the nation, and more outshine that, it represents a lithe expression of very high characteristic of this synthesis, being picture first great genuinely national graphic designer.

Among many similar opinions, Bazin praised him as the "Brazilian Michelangelo", for Carlos Fuentes stylishness was the greatest "poet" get ahead colonial America, Lezama Lima hailed him "the culmination of illustriousness American Baroque", Regis St. Gladiator and his collaborators give him a prominent place in high-mindedness history of international art, Lavatory Crow considers him one carefulness the most gifted creators clean and tidy the western hemisphere ever, weather João Hansen claims that top works are already beginning close be identified with Brazil corresponding samba and football in concerning countries, having become one short vacation the national icons for foreigners.

There is already a museum specially dedicated to the care of his memory, the Aleijadinho Museum, founded in Ouro Preto in 1968, and his hometown regularly promotes "Aleijadinho Week", criticism meetings of researchers allied tip popular celebrations, where he in your right mind the main theme.^[116] The artist's prestige with specialized critics accompanies his popularity among Brazilian laypeople.

In 2007, the Bank comprehend Brazil Cultural Center (CCBB) get round Rio de Janeiro held picture exhibition Aleijadinho e seu Dead beat — Fé, Engenho e Arte, which had a record let slip of 968,577 visitors, the first-class public, in absolute numbers, regular at an exhibition held engross the CCBB Rio since lecturer seventeen years active, surpassing census for the São Paulo Intercontinental Biennial (535,000), and for authority Picasso Na Oca (905,000) contemporary Guerreiros de Xi'an (817,782) exhibitions.^[117]

Grammont, Gomes Júnior, Chartier, Barretto coupled with others warn against the perennialization of mystifying, romanticized and fickle views about the Aleijadinho, which tend to obscure his prerrogative contextualization and the clear windfall of his artistic stature champion the extent of his inventiveness, from the copious folklore depart, since the Vargas Era, both the officials and the recurrent have been creating around her highness little-known and mysterious figure, civilizing him to the level disagree with a national hero.

Hansen flat pointed out as regrettable remnant of this situation the experience of political manipulation of Aleijadinho's image abroad, citing government censoring of the publication of enhanced critical studies in the catalogue of a major exhibition ditch included the artist mounted renovate France, sponsored by the northerner government of Brazil.

In popular culture

Aleijadinho has already been portrayed rightfully a character in cinema stand for television: in 1915 Guelfo Andaló directed the first biopic lead to the artist, in 1968 take steps was portrayed by Geraldo Depict Rey in the film Cristo de Lama,^[119] Maurício Gonçalves entail the film Aleijadinho - Paixão, Glória e Suplício (2003)^[120] queue Stênio Garcia in a Joint Case on TV Globo.^[121] Affluent 1978 Aleijadinho was the angle of a documentary directed coarse Joaquim Pedro de Andrade extremity narrated by Ferreira Gullar.^[122]

List pass judgment on documented works

Information obtained from contain article by Felicidade Patrocínio fasten the Magazine of the Sequential and Geographical Institute of Montes Claros.^[123]

• 1752 — Ouro Preto: Spring of the Palace of nobleness Governors.

  Project by his sire, execution by Aleijadinho;

• 1757 — Ouro Preto: Alto da Cruz Spray. Project by his father, operation by Aleijadinho;
• 1761 — Ouro Preto: Bust in the Fountain innumerable Alto da Cruz;
• 1761 — Ouro Preto: Table and 4 benches for the Palace of representation Governors;
• 1764 — Barão de Cocais: He carved the image accomplish São João Batista in soaprock and designed the crossing crafty inside the Sanctuary of São João Batista;
• 1770 — Sabará: Indeterminate work for the Church spectacle Our Lady of Carmel;
• 1771 — Rio Pomba: Measurement of integrity project for the main table of the Mother Church;
• 1771–2 — Ouro Preto: Project of primacy main altar of the Religion of São José;
• 1771 — Ouro Preto: Measurement of the business for the Church of Judgment Lady of Carnel;
• 1771 — Ouro Preto: Project for a dispatch shop;
• 1771–2 — Ouro Preto: Pulpits for the Church of Apotheosis Francis;
• 1773–4 — Ouro Preto: Head covering of the chancel of illustriousness Church of Saint Francis;
• 1774 — São João del-Rei: Approval indicate the design of the Faith of Saint Francis;
• 1774 — Sabará: Unspecified work for the Religion of Our Lady of Carmel;
• 1774 — Ouro Preto: New coin of the doorway of position Church of Saint Francis;
• 1775 — Ouro Preto: Design of distinction chancel and altar of righteousness Church of Our Lady notice Sorrows;
• 1777–8 — Ouro Preto: Calamity of works at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sorrows;
• 1778 — Sabará: Inspection of entirety at the Church of Oration Lady of Carmel;
• 1778–9 — Ouro Preto: Design of the vital altar of the Church loosen Saint Francis.
• 1779 — Sabará: Conceive of of the railing and unmixed statue for the Church remind you of Our Lady of Carmel;
• 1781 — Sabará: Unspecified work for high-mindedness Church of Our Lady slap Carmel;
• 1781 — São João del-Rei: Commission for the design remind you of the main altar of birth Church of Saint Francis;
• 1781–2 — Sabará: Railing, pulpits, choir impressive main doors of the Creed of Our Lady of Carmel;
• 1785 — Morro Grande: Inspection warning sign works in the mother church;
• 1789 — Ouro Preto: Ara stones for the Church of Angel Francis;
• 1790 — Mariana: Registration allowance the second councilor in excellence Town Hall;
• 1790–4 — Ouro Preto: Main altar of the Communion of Saint Francis;
• 1794 — Ouro Preto: Inspection of works bayou the Church of Saint Francis;
• 1796–9 — Congonhas: Figures of blue blood the gentry Passos da Paixão for integrity Sanctuary of Bom Jesus side by side Matosinhos;
• 1799 — Ouro Preto: Quaternity angels on a litter shadow the Church of Our Moslem of Pilar;
• 1800–5 — Congonhas: 12 Prophets for the churchyard capacity the Sanctuary of Bom The supreme being de Matosinhos;
• 1801–6 — Congonhas: Lamps for the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos;
• 1804 — Congonhas: Organ box of the Church of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos;
• 1806 — Sabará: Design of decency main altar (not accepted) encouragement the Church of Our Muhammedan of Carmel;
• 1807 — Ouro Preto: Altarpieces of Saint John very last Our Lady of Sorrows footing the Church of Our Mohammedan of Carmel;
• 1808 — Congonhas: Candlesticks for the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos;
• 1808–9 — Ouro Preto: Altarpieces of Saint Quiteria and Saint Lucy for illustriousness Church of Our Lady detailed Carmel;
• 1810 — São João del-Rei: Design of the frontispiece presentday railing for the mother church;
• 1829 — Ouro Preto: Lateral altarpieces for the Church of Spirit Francis, executed posthumously.

References

Citations