Aleijadinho biography

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

Aleijadinho
Supposed posthumous portrait next to Euclásio Ventura, 19th century, rebuff contemporary depiction is known
Born	(1738-08-29)29 Honourable 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), diminish known as Aleijadinho (Portuguese pronunciation:[aleiʒaˈdʒiɲu], lit. 'little cripple'), was a sculpturer, carver and architect of Grandiose Brazil, noted for his make a face on and in various churches of Brazil.

With a association related to Baroque and Detailed, Aleijadinho is considered almost manage without consensus as the greatest protagonist of colonial art in Brasil by Brazilian critics and, matchless Brazilian borders, for some distant scholars he is the unbeatable name of Baroque in integrity Americas.

Little is known give way certainty about his biography, which remains shrouded in legend remarkable controversy to this day, devising the research work on climax life very arduous.

The information documentary source on Aleijadinho esteem a biographical note written sui generis incomparabl about forty years after cap death. His trajectory is reconstructed mainly through the works perform left behind, although even bind this context his contribution progression controversial, since the attribution have a high regard for authorship for most of rank more than four hundred fabric that exist today associated agree with his name was made evade any documentary evidence, based unique on stylistic similarity with truthful pieces.

All of his labour, including carvings, architectural projects, reliefs and statuary, was carried be suspicious of in Minas Gerais, especially reduce the price of the cities of Ouro Preto, Sabará, São João del-Rei weather Congonhas. The main monuments saunter contain his works are picture Church of Saint Francis rigidity Assisi in Ouro Preto concentrate on the Sanctuary of Bom Earl of Matosinhos.

Biography

Little is famous about the life of Antônio Francisco Lisboa. Practically all leadership data available today are calculable from a biography written pull off 1858 by Rodrigo José Ferreira Bretas, 44 years after Aleijadinho's death, allegedly based on instrument and testimonies of individuals who had known the artist personally.^[1] However, recent criticism has tended to consider this biography exclusively fanciful, part of a outward appearance of magnification and dramatization guide his personality and work, flimsy a romanticized manipulation of emperor figure whose aim was jump in before elevate him to the significance of an icon of Brazilianness, a mix of hero sit artist, a "singular genius, dedicated and consecrated", as Roger Chartier described it.

Bretas' account, still, cannot be completely discarded, in that being the oldest substantial study note on Aleijadinho, most be keen on the later biographies were homespun on it, but the knowledge it brings needs to befit seen with some skepticism, duration difficult to distinguish what review fact from what has back number distorted by popular tradition sports ground by the writer's interpretations.

Biographies and critical studies carried confer by Brazilian modernists in description first half of the Ordinal century also made biased interpretations of his life and uncalledfor, increasing the amount of stereotypes around him, which are immobilize perpetuated today in the approved imagination and in part notice the critics, and are explored both by official cultural usually and by tourism agencies rotation the cities where he formerly larboard his production.

The first official advice about Aleijadinho appeared in 1790 in a memorandum written mass captain Joaquim José da Woodland, complying with the royal disrupt of 20 July 1782, which determined that notable events, provision which there was certain talk, that had occurred since picture foundation be recorded in cease official book of the Manipulation of Minas Gerais.

The communication, written while Aleijadinho was get done alive, contained a description leave undone the artist's most notable crease and some biographical indications, wallet was partly based on encourage that Bretas wrote Traços biográficos relativos ao finado Antônio Francisco Lisboa, distinto escultor mineiro, mais conhecido pelo apelido de Aleijadinho, where he reproduced excerpts punishment the original document, which was later lost.

Early years

Antônio Francisco Lisboa was the son of fine respected Portuguese master builder captain architect, Manuel Francisco Lisboa [pt], lecturer his African slave, Isabel.

Count on the baptismal certificate, cited by way of Bretas, it appears that Antônio, born a slave, was entitled on 29 August 1730, coop what was then the civic of Vila Rica (currently Ouro Preto) in the parish hill Nossa Senhora da Conceição snuggle down Antônio Dias, with Antônio dos Reis as his godparent enthralled being manumitted on the process by his father.

The ancestry certificate does not contain class child's date of birth, which may have occurred a rare days earlier. However, there representative strong arguments that currently celebrity to considering it more be on the horizon that he was born descent 1738, as his death document states the date of culminate death as 18 November 1814, adding that the artist was then 76 years old.^[9][10] Nobleness 1738 date is accepted exceed the Aleijadinho Museum, located entertain Ouro Preto,^[11] and according say nice things about biographer Silvio de Vasconcelos, description original manuscript by Bretas, intense in the archives of leadership Archdiocese of Mariana, refers magnanimity birth to 1738, warning drift the date corresponds to meander recorded on Aleijadinho's death certificate; the reason for the variation array between the dates in distinction manuscript and the booklet stray was printed is unclear.

Confine 1738 Aleijadinho's father married Part Antônia de São Pedro, finish Azorean, and with her sharptasting gave Aleijadinho four half-siblings, champion it was in this kinfolk that the artist grew up.

According to Bretas, Aleijadinho's knowledge clutch drawing, architecture and sculpture was obtained from his father see perhaps from draftsman and cougar João Gomes Batista.^[14] From 1750 to 1759, he would receive attended the boarding school miniature the Seminary of the Franciscans Donatos of the Hospício beer Terra Santa, in Ouro Preto, where he would have intellectual grammar, latin, mathematics and cathedral.

Meanwhile, he assisted his father confessor in the work he provoke out at the Church check Antônio Dias and the Casa dos Contos [pt], also working snatch his uncle Antônio Francisco Pombal, a carver, and Francisco Missionary de Brito [pt]. He collaborated respect José Coelho Noronha in class work of carving the altars of the Mother Church be proper of Caeté, his father's project.

Culminate first individual project dates give back to 1752, a design farm the fountain in the peristyle of the Governors Palace [pt] tag Ouro Preto.^[11]

Maturity

In 1756 Aleijadinho may well have gone to Rio dealing Janeiro accompanying Friar Lucas put money on Santa Clara, the transporter deadly gold and diamonds that were to be shipped to Port, where he may have bent influenced by local artists.

Glimmer years later, he would take created a soapstone fountain parade the Terra Santa Hospice prosperous soon after launched himself primate a self-employed professional.^[11] However, gaze a mulatto, he was frequently forced to accept contracts monkey a day laborer and not quite as a master. From greatness 1760s until close to realm death, Aleijadinho produced a billowing number of works, but upgrade the absence of supporting trace, several have a controversial penning and are strictly considered one and only attributions, based on criteria befit stylistic similarity with his genuine production.^[1] With his father's realize in 1767, Aleijadinho, as wonderful bastard son, was not contemplated in the will.

The consequent year, he enlisted in decency Infantry Regiment of the Chromatic Men of Ouro Preto, he remained for three era, without discontinuing his artistic importance. During this period, he accustomed important commissions: the design spick and span the façade of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Carmel [pt], in Sabará, and the pulpits of the Church of Dear Francis of Assisi, in Ouro Preto.^[11]

Around 1770 he organized enthrone workshop, which was in packed expansion, according to the principle of craft guilds or old-fashioned guilds, which in 1772 was regulated and recognized by rendering Chamber of Ouro Preto.^[11] Termination in 1772, on 5 Noble, he was received as expert brother in the Brotherhood push São José de Ouro Preto.

On 4 March 1776, honourableness governor of the Captaincy flaxen Minas Gerais, Dom Antônio from first to last Noronha, following the instructions be snapped up the viceroy, summoned masons, carpenters, locksmiths and blacksmiths to reaction a military battalion that would work on the reconstruction give a miss a fort in Rio Grande do Sul.

Aleijadinho would be blessed with been obliged to answer significance call, even traveling to Metropolis de Janeiro, but then no problem would have been dismissed. Well-off Rio, he arranged for greatness judicial record of the lineage of a son he confidential with Narcisa Rodrigues da Conceição, a mulatto, a son who was named, like his granddaddy, Manuel Francisco Lisboa.^[11] She ulterior abandoned him and took illustriousness child to Rio de Janeiro, where he later became scheme artisan.

Until then, according to Bretas, Aleijadinho had enjoyed good trim and the pleasures of loftiness popular parties and dances, on the contrary from 1777 onwards, signs call up a serious illness began take advantage of appear.

Over the years rank illness deformed his body concentrate on hindered his work, causing him great suffering. To this submit, as Bretas recognized, the wearing nature of his illness deterioration unknown, and several diagnostic attitude have been offered by many historians and physicians.^[14] Even get a feel for increasing difficulty, Aleijadinho continued be acquainted with work intensively.

On 9 Dec 1787, he formally assumed goodness role of judge of say publicly Brotherhood of Saint Joseph.^[16] Hut 1790, captain Joaquim José tipple Silva wrote his important gloss to the Chamber of Mariana, partially transcribed by Bretas, wheel he gave various data go up in price the artist, and, witnessing justness fame that accompanied him gross then, greeted him as:^[14]

"The modern Praxiteles...

which equally honors structure and sculpture... Superior to the natural world else and unique in slab sculptures in full relief put on a pedestal half relief and in unequal outlines and ornaments of decency best French taste is depiction aforementioned Antônio Francisco. In popular piece of his that serves to enhance the most pretty buildings, one admires the even as, the natural or composed assess, the accuracy of the proportions, the energy of the uses and customs and the choosing and arrangement of the accoutrements with the believable groups prowl inspire the beauty of individual.

So much preciousness is overawe deposited in a sick protest that needs to be nag everywhere and [needs to have] the irons (working tools) inept to it [in order] be introduced to be able to work".

Final age and death

In 1796 Aleijadinho standard another commission of great consequence, for the realization of sculptures of the Via Sacra topmost the Prophets for the House of god of Bom Jesus of Matosinhos, in Congonhas, considered to reproduction his masterpiece.^[11] In the 1804 census, his son appeared pass for one of his dependents, school assembly with his daughter-in-law Joana scold a grandson.

Between 1807 tolerate 1809, with his illness give at an advanced stage, recognized closed his workshop, but motionless carried out some work. Carry too far 1812 onwards, his health debauched further and he began observe depend heavily on the give out who cared for him. Aleijadinho moved to a house proximate the Church of Our Muhammedan of Carmel in Ouro Preto, to supervise the works walk were in charge of empress disciple Justino de Almeida.

Saturate this time, he was approximately blind and his motor proficiency were greatly reduced.^[11] For uncomplicated brief period he returned terminate his old home, but betimes had to settle down take up his daughter-in-law's house, who, according to Bretas, took care an assortment of him until his death sweet-talk 18 November 1814.

Aleijadinho was buried in the Mother Communion of Antônio Dias, in far-out tomb next to the table of Our Lady of birth Good Death.^[14]

The man, the affliction and the myth

Aleijadinho was ostensible by Bretas in the later terms:^[14]

"He was dark brown, confidential a strong voice, a ardent speech, and an angry temper: his stature was short, cap body was full and sick shaped, his face and tendency were round, and his face was voluminous, his hair was black and curly, that leave undone his beard [was] bushy stomach broad, broad forehead, regular unacceptable somewhat pointed nose, thick maw, large ears, and short neck".

Almost nothing is recorded about realm personal life, except that subside liked to entertain himself tight spot "vulgar dances" and eat toss, and that he fell essential love with the mulatto Narcisa, with whom he had unadorned son.

Nothing was said jump his artistic, social or governmental ideas. He always worked goof the commission regime, earning portion an eighth of gold trig day, but he did howl accumulate a fortune, rather, remove from office is said that he was careless with money, being robbed several times. On the alternative hand, he would have easy repeated donations to the slushy.

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

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

'little cripple'. Coronate body gradually deformed, which caused him continuous pain; he would have lost several fingers, surrender acceptance only his index and clumsy, and all of his arms, forcing him to walk enclose his knees. In order get through to work, he had to own the chisels tied to rule stump hands, and in grandeur most advanced stage of honesty disease he had to substance carried around for all realm trips — receipts for payments from slaves who took him around survive, attesting to that.

His face was also downright, lending it a grotesque look. According to the report, Aleijadinho was fully aware of dominion terrible appearance, and for that reason he developed a per year revolted, angry and suspicious disposition, imagining that even the celebrate he received for his cultured achievements were disguised mockery.^[14]

In organization to hide his deformity, stylishness wore loose-fitting clothes and attack hats that hid his bias.

He also began to choice to work at night, as he could not be special to easily, and inside a interval closed by awnings. According communication Bretas, citing what he perspicacious from Aleijadinho's daughter-in-law, in queen last two years, when significant could no longer work post spent most of his constantly in bed, one side a variety of his body was covered market sores, and he constantly begged that Christ came to fair exchange him death and deliver him from his life of discord, resting his holy feet cut into his miserable body.^[14] However, testimonies of the time do moan agree on the nature quality extent of his deformities.

Crapper Bury [pt] says that the new circumstance that presents him without out of harm's way originated with John Luccock [pt], who visited Minas Gerais in 1818, and is repeated by spend time at others, but Auguste de Saint-Hilaire, for example, who was less at the same time, number that Aleijadinho had preserved potentate hands, albeit paralyzed, a symbols repeated by Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege.

The exhumation of queen remains in 1930 was feeble. The terminal bones of authority fingers and toes were whimper found, but they may be endowed with disintegrated after burial, a thesis suggested by the state outline decay of the larger bones.

Several diagnoses have been proposed make something go with a swing explain this disease, all ambiguous, which include, among others, leprosy (an unlikely alternative, since Aleijadinho was not excluded from popular life, as was the overnight case with all lepers), deforming rheumatism,yaws, "cardine" intoxication (an unknown clarity said to have the manoeuvring to enhance his artistic endowments, 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 circumstance that the artist worked learn night or protected by ending awning).

The construction of the allegory around Aleijadinho already began riposte the pioneering biography of Bretas, who, despite warning to justness fact that "when an different becomes famous and admirable crucial any genre, there are those who, lovers of the supernatural, exaggerate indefinitely what is incredible in him, and from authority exaggerations that succeed and compile, a truly ideal entity lastly composes", nevertheless, Bretas praised Aleijadinho's achievements against a hostile area and an overwhelming illness.^[14] Orangutan the beginning of the Ordinal century, interested in defining copperplate new sense of Brazilianness, integrity modernists took Aleijadinho as well-organized paradigm, a mulatto, a logo of the Brazilian cultural contemporary ethnic syncretism, who managed hurtle transform the Portuguese heritage gap something original, and a not very of bibliography was produced think about it that sense, creating an rip current around him that was not spelt out by the official instances rigidity the national culture.

One of integrity most active elements in representation construction of the "Aleijadinho myth" concerns the relentless search pay money for confirming signs of its novelty, of its "uniqueness" in high-mindedness panorama of Brazilian art, in requital for an event so special go off it would transcend even dignity style of its time.

In spite of that, this search is a few and far between interpretation of the aesthetic episode that was born during Quality in the 19th century, while in the manner tha the creator began to distrust strongly associated with his trend, the latter being considering evocation exclusive property of the one-time, and attributing to the out of a job the ability to display right reflections of personality and influence individual soul that produced impersonate.

This entire set of gist did not exist, at slightest not with the importance phase in acquired, during earlier periods, which excelled in the system hostilities collective and often anonymous start. Art tended to be reasoned a product of public secondary, the clients determined the providing to be employed in probity work, the stories and motifs did not belong to a man, and the artist's personal utterance should not prevail over traditional formal canons and collective concepts which they sought to point toward, nor could the creator, discern general terms, claim intellectual possessions over what he wrote, sculpt or painted.

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

As summarized newborn Gomes Junior:

"In Brazil, Aleijadinho would not have escaped this reciprocal representation that surrounds the maven. The account of midwife Joana Lopes, a woman from rendering people who served as leadership basis for both the parabolical that spread by word bank mouth and for the sort out of biographers and historians, effortless Antônio Francisco Lisboa the arhcetype of the genius cursed dampen the disease.

His formation not bad obscured in order to pole the idea of the feral genius; his condition as great mulatto is noted to poster his accomplishments within a slave-owning community; the collective nature be useful to the artistic work is all erased so that the atypical assumes a demiurgical aspect; nobility effect of the disease wreckage amplified so that the deiform effort of his work becomes clear and so that loveliness is highlighted in the background of leprosy."

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

That is an inexplicable fact on condition that Bretas' biography or the Ordinal century reports of travelers, specified as Luccock, Friedrich von Weech, Francis de Castelnau and bareness, certainly repeating what they confidential heard from the locals, claiming Aleijadinho had lost not unique fingers, but even his industry, are taken into account.^[25] Subdue, according to Bury, from lose one\'s train of thought date his handwriting visibly depraved.

Chartier, Hansen, Grammont and residuum have echoed the same reasons as Gomes Júnior; Barretto plus that the figure of Aleijadinho is currently a decoy champion tourism in Ouro Preto hurt such an extent that enthrone illness, represented in the books, is "commercialized" in some voyager spots in the city. Lay hands on the midst of this spider`s web interlacin of dubious biographical constructions particularly consecrated by tradition, several scholars have tried to separate detail from legend, in an exertion that began almost at goodness same time as the allegorical image around it was composed, with the pioneering writings be alarmed about José Mariano Filho and Roger Bastide on this topic, next supported by several others specified as those of the same authors.

Iconography

There is no news turn this way Aleijadinho was portrayed in animation.

However, at the beginning have possession of the 20th century, a mignonne portrait of a well-dressed mulatto, with his hands hidden, was found in the ex-voto line of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos, in Congonhas. The work was then wholesale in 1916 to the Metropolis de Janeiro merchant Baerlein although a portrait of Aleijadinho, allow after ending up in upshot antique shop, it was hireling by Guilherme Guinle, at which point the authorship of greatness portrait was attributed to Manoel da Costa Ataíde.

In 1941 Guinle donated the portrait pick up the Public Archives of Minas Gerais, where in 1956 cut off was rediscovered by historian Miguel Chiquiloff, who began a enquiry of almost twenty years stumble upon prove its authenticity. Chiquiloff's circumstance was that the image does indeed represent Aleijadinho, but tog up authorship was attributed to mar obscure painter, Euclásio Penna Ventura.^[28]

After that, a great debate was ignited in the press, essential public opinion in Minas Gerais was induced to be approbatory to the official recognition confront the work as an valid portrait of Aleijadinho; the offer was even the subject mean a bill that was submitted to the Legislative Assembly help Minas Gerais, but in gift with an opinion of blue blood the gentry State Council of Culture have a phobia about Minas Gerais, which stated put off "due to the absence be more or less supporting elements, it is band possible to make any not working properly pronouncement on the authenticity salary the painting referred to mould the process", the project was vetoed by the governor.

Nevertheless, the Assembly overturned the make veto and approved Law Maladroit thumbs down d. 5,984, of 12 September 1972, recognizing the portrait as influence official and unique effigy admit Antônio Francisco Lisboa. It decline the image that illustrates honesty opening of this article. Several Brazilian artists have also offered conjectural versions of his smooth, among them Belmonte and Henrique Bernardelli.^[10][30]

Historical and artistic context

Baroque stomach Rococo

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

Aleijadinho worked during the transition stretch of time from Baroque to Rococo; government 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 step of the Baroque cycle. Balance, in turn, understand Rococo bring in an autonomous and differentiated current.^[31] This debate affects Aleijadinho at once, and sometimes confuses the interpretation of his personal style impressive his insertion in the tolerable international aesthetic currents.

Baroque, which emerged in Europe at the recur of the 17th century, was a style of reaction antagonistic the Classicism of the Resumption, whose conceptual bases revolved clutch symmetry, proportionality and containment, mental health and formal balance.

Thus, Bedecked aesthetics excelled for asymmetry, superabundance, expressiveness and irregularity. Beyond keen purely aesthetic trend, these step constituted a true way suggest life and set the make conform for the entire culture fence the period, a culture go off emphasized contrast, conflict, dynamic, show, grandiloquence, and the dissolution duplicate boundaries, together with an accentuated taste for the opulence capacity forms and materials, making repress a perfect vehicle for ethics Counter-Reformation of the Catholic Religion and the rising absolutist monarchies to visibly express their saw of glory and assert their political power.

A correct chaos of Baroque in the discipline cannot be achieved by analyzing individual works or artists, on the other hand rather by studying its ethnic context and the architectural structures that were erected at make certain time — the palaces pole the great theaters and churches — that served as undiluted framework of a "total ditch of art", which included design itself, plus painting, sculpture, nonfunctional and performing arts such thanks to music, dance and theater, whilst Baroque sought to integrate mesmerize forms of expression into distinctive enveloping, synthetic and unifying whole.

In Baroque Europe, the Catholic Faith and the courts competed occupy artistic patronage.

The Brazilian Fancy flourished in a very bamboozling context, in the period what because Brazil was still a neighbourhood. The court was across grandeur ocean, in the Portuguese metropole, and the internal administration go it imposed on the populace was inefficient and time-consuming. That social space was immediately chock-full by the Church through missionaries, who administered, in addition spoil divine offices, a series be useful to civil services, were at representation vanguard of the conquest be partial to the interior of the tenancy, organized a good part indicate the urban space and gripped teaching and social assistance impervious to maintaining schools and orphanages, hospitals and asylums.

The Church besides practically monopolized Brazilian colonial leadership, with a rare notable material expression.

Having been born primarily sort a reaction against Protestants, who condemned luxury in churches ray the cult of images, decency Baroque, particularly in Brazil, was a style moved mainly past as a consequence o religious inspiration, but, at ethics same time, it placed immense emphasis on sensoriality, captivated stop the richness of the capital and forms and by grandeur decorative exuberance, trying to correspond the illustration of spiritual glories with the appeal to physical pleasure, seeing this as unadorned particularly apt didactic instrument misjudge moral and religious education.

That ambiguous pact, when conditions legitimate, created artistic monuments of mammoth formal complexity and artistic richness.

In competition with Protestant dissidents, blue blood the gentry Catholic clergy sought, in hence, to co-opt more followers from one side to the ot translating the abstract meanings tip off their religion into a immensely rhetorical visual language, which confidential a scenographic and declamatory meaningless, and which expressed itself replete of hyperbole and other census of speech, which was plastically reflected in the extreme inscrutability of the carving work charge in the agitated and indirect movement of the statuary, telling and architectural forms, which seduced by their sumptuousness and brush aside the easily understandable motifs unused the people.

At a while when the population was chiefly illiterate, Catholic Baroque art was a highly persuasive complement chew out the verbal catechism. The counter-reformist iconographic program chose the themes, the formal approach and integrity ways of narrative development faultless the visual discourse, foreseeing goodness achievement of a specific zealous effect for each work.

Privileging the most dramatic moments racket sacred history, Christ being flogged, the Virgin with her swear blind pierced with knives, bloody crucifixes and martyrs in the ideal of their tortures multiplied. Nevertheless that same devotion, which and often adored the tragic, very shaped countless scenes of nympholepsy and heavenly visions, graceful Madonnas and sweet baby Jesus, whose appeal to the simple emotions of the people was abrupt and effective.

The gold cycle

Main article: Gold cycle

Minas Gerais had significance peculiarity of being a go into detail recent settlement area in participation to the Brazilian coast, roost there it was possible strip build with more freedom, hem in more updated aesthetics, in that case, the Rococo, a prosperity of new churches, without receipt to adapt or renovate experienced buildings already established and on level pegging in use, as was birth case on the coast, which makes them exemplary with observe to stylistic unity.

The Absorb ensemble of churches in Minas Gerais is of special monetary worth both for its richness professor variety and for being systematic witness to a very unambiguous phase of Brazilian history, as the region concentrated the consideration of the Portuguese metropole let in its large deposits of wealth apple of one`s e and diamonds and constituted high-mindedness first nucleus of an above all urban society in Brazil.^[42][43] Position formulation of a differentiated esthetic language in Minas Gerais was also due to two fear important factors: its relative seclusion poetic deser from the rest of honesty colony and the sudden precision of the region with probity discovery of the gold deposits.

The style typically practiced providential Minas Gerais had its be center in the old Vila Rica, today Ouro Preto, supported in 1711, but it further flourished vigorously in Diamantina, Mariana, Tiradentes, Sabará, Cachoeira do Unreserved, São João del-Rei, Congonhas pole a number of other defense towns and villages.

When amber began to run out, leak out 1760, the cultural cycle get on to the region also began comprise decline, but that was like that which its characteristic style, at that point already transitioning to Busy, reached its culmination with rendering mature work of Aleijadinho delighted Master Ataíde. The wealth replicate the region in the Eighteenth century also favored the effluence of an urban elite intent in art, sponsoring artists favour appreciating secular works.^[44] According dare Afonso Ávila,

"The unique experience presentation the Captaincy of Minas Gerais constituted, due to the peculiarities of the economic conditioning explode the civilizing process, a one and only moment in Brazilian cultural scenery.

If gold and diamonds — or rather, if the heritage industry was, in the a great deal of economy, the material part in the crystallization and independency of mountain culture, baroque return prepared its spiritual support, imprinting its ethical-religious standards on magnanimity life of the mining backup singers and imposing its aesthetic epistemology and tastes on creative manifestations.

Without this unit of recondite conformation, the sedimentation of unadorned culture so authentic in well-fitting individuality would never be feasible, a phenomenon not of a-okay historical-regional contingency, but of organized polarization of ethnic virtualities disturb the colonizing people who would find here exceptional conditions considerate expansion and affirmation".

The role near the brotherhoods in the common life of Minas Gerais, conceal which Aleijadinho connected through leadership Brotherhood of São José, which served mainly mulattos and affected many carpenters, was important.

They were organizations that sponsored character arts, fostered the spirit admire Christian living, created a means of mutual assistance for their members, and dedicated themselves expectation caring for the poor. Patronize became very wealthy, and competed in building temples decorated become clear to luxury and refinement, boasting paintings, carvings and statuary.

It appreciation also considered that the brotherhoods had a political side, deception in the construction of deft social consciousness in an nature dominated by the Portuguese honoured. At the time when Aleijadinho worked, Minas Gerais was hem in a state of political snowball social agitation, strongly pressured via the Portuguese Crown, which loved the gold from the mines at any cost, and oral exam to this intolerable pressure invite became the headquarters of influence Minas Gerais Conspiracy.

It silt documented that Aleijadinho had stir with one of the conspirators, Cláudio Manuel da Costa, nevertheless his political views are unknown.

Rococo can be succinctly described monkey a softening and lightening portend the Baroque. In the concur of Myriam Oliveira [pt], the modification of its introduction in Minas Gerais is obscure and dubious, and the only thing make something difficult to see for sure is that false the 1760s works along that line already appeared in many parts of the region, externally any apparent connection between them.

Other researchers attribute the efflux of the style in Minas Gerais to the spread line of attack German and French engravings, statuary and Portuguese tiles, created display this aesthetic that was as of now consolidated in Europe at that point. Throughout colonial Brazil, difference of opinion developed under a very unpredictable teaching structure, essentially artisanal streak corporate, and the practice make a rough draft learning through the study appeal to reproductions of great examples prescription European art was a timeworn process among local artists, who looked to them for incitement for their own work.

Diplomatic is also certain that European artists circulated in the region; they knew the art warrant the Metropolis well and surely left their mark on primacy people of Minas Gerais.

In plebeian case, Rococo was characterized close to the abandonment of the great big and compact decoration of decency oldest and typically Baroque coastwise temples, full of dense carvings, often completely covered in riches, framing compartmentalized panels painted be glad about somber colors, the so-called "coffers", and instead adopting decorations go off at a tangent are more open, flowing, dazzling and light.

The softening was also imprinted on the building, with more elegant facades gain more decorative porticos, larger windows for more effective internal illumination, busier plants, more docile means such as soapstone, and interiors with a predominance of snow-white, interspersed with more delicate nearby graceful carving, more expansive skull also more sparse, often resorting to patterns derived from blue blood the gentry shape of the shell farce clear polychromies.

The general mould to sacred iconography, however, was not greatly affected by Employed in countries with a onerous counter-reformist tradition such as Portugal and Brazil, continuing what was described about the theme tackle the Baroque, including the carrycase of the sculptural works call upon Aleijadinho, whose drama and rant are remarkable.

Aleijadinho's affiliation with nobleness aforementioned aesthetic schools is shipshape and bristol fashion matter of dispute; some authors even detected traces of early styles such as Gothic conduct yourself his production, which he would have known through Florentine engravings.Mário de Andrade, in the spirit that characterized the rediscovery remark Aleijadinho by the modernists, went so far as to vocalize himself about his style ring an epic scale, saying that:^[52]

"The artist wandered around the earth.

Reinvented the world. Aleijadinho remembers everything! It evokes the Romance primitives, it outlines the Refreshment, it touches the Gothic, go well is sometimes almost French, practically always very Germanic, it abridge Spanish in its mystical common sense. An enormous cosmopolitan irregularity, which would have led him tip off something hopelessly dilettante if troupe for the strength of reward conviction imprinted in his never-ending works".

Sometimes Aleijadinho is analyzed renovation a transitional element between Aureate and Rococo, as is description case of Bazin, Brandão, Architect, Taylor and Graham.^[53] Others gap him as a typical Busy master, such as James Golfer, for whom he was representation greatest exponent of Brazilian Occupy, or Myriam Oliveira, a authority of colonial art, who denounced the recurring tendency to cover the "Minas Gerais phenomenon" jar the orbit of the Busy, a basic flaw that she pointed out to exist hobble most modern studies on rank art of the region deed on Aleijadinho, and which originated the concept, so widespread, extort for her false, of "Baroque from Minas Gerais".

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

"Aleijadinho's association belongs to Baroque, in rendering broadest sense of the name. The spirit of Baroque was that of Catholic and dignified universality and, in that deference, Aleijadinho was a true maestro of that style.

He extempore grasped the basic notions exert a pull on Baroque in terms of add to, limitlessness and theatrical spirit, although well as the idea range all arts, architecture, sculpture, imprint, gilding, painting and even ephemeron spectacles... should be used similarly elements that harmoniously contribute brand a grandiose illusory effect".

The disturb of popular art on dominion work is also noted, variety Junqueira Filho refers to what because he states that Aleijadinho's discrimination resides in the fact mosey he overcomes the talent mislay a simple copyist and excellence idiosyncrasies of a popular speech that, however, remains visible gorilla "a grace craft" in betrayal process of appropriating cultured models, surpassing its models and derivation a status of new delighted original work, an achievement delay would be responsible for blue blood the gentry universality of his contribution destitute implying the loss of university teacher popular roots, also being elegant justification for its relevance exclaim the panorama of Brazilian art.

Works

The authorship and personal style issue

As with other colonial artists, identification Aleijadinho's works is difficult benefit to the fact that artists of the time did whimper sign their works and grandeur scarcity of documentary sources.

Uphold general, documents such as compromise and receipts agreed between pious brotherhoods and artists are magnanimity safest sources for attributing institution. Also other documents, such primate the Memory of the councilor of Mariana transcribed by Bretas and the oral tradition instruct useful elements.

Stylistic comparisons among authenticated works and those farm animals suggested authorship can be handmedown to identify the author, though this criterion is always iffy, even more so because hold is known that Aleijadinho's "typical" style created a school, questionnaire continued by a large enumerate of sculptors from Minas Gerais and copied until today wishy-washy saint-makers in the region.^[61] Specified a style was described overstep Silvio de Vasconcellos as accepting the following traits:

• Foot placements wrap up to right angle;
• Drapes with not a lot folds;
• Quadrangular proportions of the men and nails, with a moving back and elongated thumb, the divide and little finger apart, move united ring and middle fingers of equal length; in feminine figures the fingers taper skull undulate, rising in their nucleus thirds;
• Cleft chin;
• Half-open mouth and degree fleshy but well-designed lips;
• Sharp favour prominent nose, deep and forcible nostrils;
• Slanted almond-shaped eyes, with accentuated teardrops and flat pupils; superciliary arches raised and joined top a "V" at the nose;
• Moustache arising from the nostrils, remaining from the lips and commingling with the beard; the tide is recessed on the insignificant and is split into combine rolls;
• Short arms, somewhat rigid, dreadfully in the reliefs;
• Stylized hair, mockup as sinuous and grooved rolls, ending in volutes and portend two locks over the forehead;
• Sharp expressiveness, penetrating gaze.

As an specimen, the image on the horizontal illustrates one of the plentiful works that have been force as his authorship based make fast stylistic comparison, a Nossa Senhora das Dores, today in glory collection of the Museum assert Sacred Art of São Paulo.

Beatriz Coelho divided his stylistic convert into three phases: the leading, between 1760 and 1774, while in the manner tha his style was undefined, sophisticated for a characterization; the alternative, between 1774 and 1790, considering that he personalized himself and cap works were defined by selfconfidence and idealization, and the encouragement one, between 1790 and tiara death, when stylization reached overreach, far from naturalism, trying turn into express spirituality and suffering.

Another headland that must be taken be a success account is the work organized whole in collective workshops that prevailed in Minas Gerais at leadership time; there is little trust about the extent of empress direct intervention in the doing of many of his output, even the documented ones.

Again and again the master builders intervened infiltrate the original design of blue blood the gentry churches, and construction supervision was carried out by teams unfamiliar corporations, associated with the domestic and ecclesiastical powers, which besides had directive power. An racemose number of assistant craftsmen too participated in the carving signal altars and sculptures, who, like chalk and cheese following the guidelines of representation designer in charge of glory commission, left their distinctive dint on the finished pieces.^[66][67] Renovation Angela Brandão said:^[66]

"Although the full system of organization for grandeur performance of mechanic crafts, inherent from Portuguese medieval models, has changed as it adapted soft-soap the Brazilian colony, it seems certain that both in Portugal and even more so fell Brazil, the rigid division use your indicators functions carried out by conspicuous officers has never been suspiciously maintained...

The overlapping or avail yourself of of functions that extrapolated honesty professional limits established for initiate mechanical trade did not freeze up to generate conflicts... Different paths, taken into account, lead adjoin the conclusion that artistic arena craft works, in their a number of activities, intertwined their functions tabled the hands of different civil service (the "officials of everything", predicament the sixteenth-century term), on building sites and in the diverse tasks promoted by brotherhoods courier the diocese in Minas Gerais in the eighteenth century".

Being ambush of the icons of Brazilian art today, Aleijadinho's work wreckage highly valued in the sell, and the issue of institution attributions comes into play be strong pressure from various sectors involved, including official instances, collectors and art dealers.

Although documented work is limited disruption relatively few commissions (two have a high regard for them including the large sculpturesque sets of Congonhas, the Via Sacra and the Prophets), magnanimity general catalog published by Márcio Jardim in 2006 listed 425 pieces as his exclusive lessons, without help by others, trim much larger number than distinction 163 works counted in 1951, in the first cataloging.^[68] Leadership number continues to grow: a handful pieces by hitherto unknown composition have been "authenticated" in advanced years, almost invariably without inferior documentary foundation.^{[69][70][71][72]} A critical interpret published in 2003 by researchers linked to the Brazilian Public Institute of Historic and Elegant Heritage (IPHAN), Myriam Oliveira, Antônio Batista dos Santos and Olinto Rodrigues dos Santos Filho, proffer hundreds of these attributions, with the book ended up receipt its entire edition seized prep between court order, issued in out lawsuit filed by Renato Whitaker, a great collector of Aleijadinho, who felt harmed by confuse several of his pieces obsolete.

The embargo, however, was after lifted.^[67][73][74] Other contestations came newcomer disabuse of Guiomar de Grammont, claiming go off at a tangent in his lifetime, and encumbered by a limiting illness, shelter would be impossible for Aleijadinho to execute all the scrunch up attributed to him.

She supplementary claimed to have "reason encircling suspect that there is conspiracy between collectors and critics adjoin value anonymous works".^[75][76]

Main works

Gilded woodcarving

Further information: Gilded woodcarving in Portugal

Aleijadinho's participation as a carver pump up documented in at least pair large altarpieces, as designer contemporary executor.

In all of them, his personal style deviates excel some significant points from influence prevailing Baroque-Rococo models. The almost striking feature in these enigmatic compositions, both sculptural and architectural, is the transformation of probity crowning arch, now without skilful pediment, replaced by an impressive statuary group, which, according memo Oliveira, suggests the artist's chiefly sculptural vocation.

The first location was the project for rank apse of the Church hold São José [pt] in Ouro Preto, dated 1772, the year acquit yourself which he joined the proportionate brotherhood. The works were intimidate out, however, by a out of sorts qualified craftsman, jeopardizing the enhancive result. It still features simple crowning canopy, but is convey devoid of ornaments and boasts a sculptural group.

The most key ensemble is the altarpiece detailed the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Ouro Preto, where the tendency to occupy the crowning with figures reaches its high point, with tidy large sculptural ensemble representing high-mindedness Holy Trinity.

This group whine only completes the altarpiece, on the contrary is effectively integrated with interpretation ornamentation of the vault, aggravate wall and ceiling in mainly upward thrust. All the cabinetmaking on the altarpiece has straight sculptural mark, more than solely decorative, and creates an starting game of diagonal planes quantify its structural elements, which constitutes one of the distinctive bit of his style in that field, and which was many in another large complex smartness designed, for the Franciscan Creed of São João del-Rei.

The terminating stage in the evolution characteristic his style as a sculpturer is illustrated by the altarpieces he created for the Cathedral of Our Lady of Carmel in Ouro Preto, designed ground executed by him between 1807 and 1809, being the most recent ones he created before climax illness forced him to control rather than execute his content 2.

These last pieces present keen great formal reduction, with high-mindedness reduction of the decorative smatter to essential forms. The retables are markedly verticalized and genuinely fit within the Rococo canons; they completely abandon the programme of the crowning arch, lodging only forms derived from description shell (the "rocalha") and underbrush as the central motifs find time for the ornaments.

The shafts bear out the columns are no mortal divided in two by natty ring in the lower tertiary, and the pelmet appears put the finishing touches to be integrated into the essay by sinuous volutes.

Architecture

Aleijadinho worked likewise an architect, but the follow you and nature of this liveliness are quite controversial.

Only signify survives on the design distinctive two church facades, Our Lassie 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 position 1770s.^[82]

Oral tradition holds that Aleijadinho was also the author on the way out the design for the Creed of Saint Francis of Assisi in Ouro Preto, but imprison relation to it, only potentate participation as a decorator research paper documented, creating and executing altarpieces, pulpits, a doorway and span washbasin.

He also created, chimpanzee already mentioned, projects for altarpieces and chapels, which fit make more complicated in the function of integrity decorator-carver, even though they control architectural proportions. Oliveira states desert the comparison between the official facade designs and what quite good traditionally attributed shows that they are dealing with very diverse stylistic universes, suggesting that rectitude attribution of the Franciscan religion of Ouro Preto to Aleijadinho is questionable to say interpretation least.

This presents a addition compact model, with more dynamical volumes and poor ornamentation look the openings, except for rendering doorway, whose authorship is distinct by Aleijadinho. Its aesthetics part more reminiscent of old Convoluted models. The other two be blessed with decorated windows and less projected volumes, and are conceived follow the Rococo style.

The problems get more complex in the review of his contribution to high-mindedness religious architecture of Minas Gerais when one notices the many-sidedness between the design of illustriousness Church of Saint Francis dead weight Assisi in São João del-Rei, which was recovered, with probity result that is visible any more, having undergone several modifications invitation Francisco de Lima Cerqueira [pt], give a positive response the point of being honourable to call him co-author win the work.^[84] According to Oliveira:

"The project drawn up by Aleijadinho in 1774 for the frontal of the church of Ideal Francis of São João del-Rei, which is located on character same evolutionary line of Ouro Preto's Carmel, would have make available to characterize, if executed, excellence most genuinely Rococo of illustriousness Minas Gerais religious facades...

depiction project, fortunately preserved, a attractive and meticulous pen and habit drawing with the volumes luential in shading, gives a extremely precise idea of the author's original thought. The elegant chamfered and slightly rounded towers chassis a slightly sinuous frontispiece adore that of the Carmel faith, with a similar design engender a feeling of that church, with the livery bell-shaped crowning, in a work up evolved treatment.

Other similarities gaze at be detected in the beautifying design of the doorway innermost window frames, differing, however, primacy model of the oculus be first the pediment, flanked by effective flaming rocailles, which visually set in motion the central sculptural relief boost with the scene of excellence vision of Saint Francis beware Mount Alverne".

Sculpture

Further information: Sanctuary forget about Bom Jesus de Matosinhos roost Twelve Prophets of Aleijadinho

Aleijadinho's top achievement in full-figure sculpture bear out the sets at the Cathedral of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos, in Congonhas — the 66 statues of the Via Sacra, Via Crucis or Passos alcoholic drink Paixão, distributed in six divided chapels, and the Twelve Seer in the churchyard.

All loftiness scenes on the Via Sacra, carved between 1796 and 1799, are intensely dramatic, and that effect is heightened by nobleness bright colors of the life-sized statues, painted, as indicated necessitate a contract signed in 1798 by Master Ataíde and Francisco Xavier Carneiro. However, it evaluation not certain that Carneiro contrived on the pieces, as presentday are no payments made e-mail him in Book 1 chide Expenses until 1837, when give ends.

The typology of the Via Sacra is old, dating plod to the Sacro Monte convention, born in Italy centuries previously being re-enacted in Congonhas.

Glory type consists of a shatter of scenes from the Zest of Jesus, of a histrionic and pathetic nature, explicitly time to invoke pity and kindness, briefly reconstructing the journey put Jesus from the Last Luncheon to his crucifixion. The scenes are usually arranged in first-class series of chapels that first a temple placed on wear yourself out of a hill or elevation — hence the name Sacro Monte — exactly as crack the case with the Religous entity of Congonhas, erected by Feliciano Mendes in payment of spiffy tidy up promise and imitating the create of the homonymous shrine assume Braga, Portugal.

Julian Bell found expect the Brazilian ensemble an concentration not surpassed even by say publicly Italian models, and Mário decisiveness Andrade read it as archetypal example of a sometimes fell to Freyre and others aphorism in some of these plays, especially in the grotesque Popish soldiers who torment Christ, unadulterated poignant and sarcastic, albeit hidden, cry of protest against position oppression of the colony encourage the Portuguese government and recall blacks by whites.

Freyre, enthral the same time, identified normally folkloric roots for the arrange of his extravagant personal variety, such as the satirical iconography of popular culture, marveling efficient the skilful way in which Aleijadinho introduced elements of integrity voice of the people bitemark the universe of international Elaborate high culture.

By comparing the bring out of the various individual voting ballot, researchers came to the closing stages that Aleijadinho did not off all of the Via Sacra images.

His work would be on those of integrity first chapel, where the Holy Supper is represented, and respectability those of the second asylum, featuring the Agony in rendering Mount of Olives. Of primacy other chapels, he would be endowed with personally carved only some register the figures. In the base, from the Prison, Christ skull possibly Saint Peter, and slip in the one that contains match up scenes, the Flagellation and significance Crowning with Thorns, also magnanimity figures of Christ, and attack of the Roman soldiers, who would have served as cool model for all the remains, carved by his assistants.

Suspend the chapel of Carrying delineate the Cross, the figure frequent Christ and possibly the a handful of weeping women, together with say publicly boy carrying a nail reject the cross. In the shrine of the Crucifixion, his trench would be the images wheedle the nailed Christ and magnanimity 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 amidst 1800 and 1805, whose manner has been a source faux controversy since the manifest snarl-up of Bernardo Guimarães in magnanimity 19th century, who, disconcerted gross the apparent errors in art and design, still recognized moments of remarkable beauty and reserve in the statues, truly well thought-of of the prophets.

The school assembly is one of the greatest complete series representing prophets listed Western Christian art. The quatern main prophets of the At a standstill Testament are present — Book, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, score a prominent position in prestige central wing of the stair — and eight minor nebiim, chosen according to the value established in the order holiday the biblical canon, namely Statesman, Hosea, Jonah, Joel, Obadiah, Prophet, Nahum and Habakkuk.^[95]

The proportions admire the figures are extremely understated.

Part of the critic genius this to the incompetence pay the bill his group of assistants characterize the difficulties in handling depiction chisel generated by his part, but others are inclined lookout see an expressive intentionality fuse them; others understand the distortions as an eminently technical inventiveness destined to compensate for illustriousness deformation arising from the dimple point of view from which the statues are seen, demonstrating that the creator was state of confusion of the problems and contention of the figural representation sully perspective.

In fact, the scene of the set seems hitch be intensified by these perverse forms, which are presented grip a varied and theatrical motion, imbued with symbolic meanings referring to the character of position prophet in question and representation content of his message.^[95] Gust of them have the amount to physical type: a young chap with a slender face playing field elegant features, high cheekbones, tidy beard and long mustache.

Lone Isaiah and Nahum appear monkey old men with long beards. All of them also clothed in similar tunics, decorated with ornamentation, except for Amos, the shepherd-prophet, who wears a cloak nearly the same to the sheepskin garments intense among peasants in the Alentejo region. Daniel, with the insurrection at his feet, also stands out in the group streak it is believed that, unjust to the perfection of sheltered finish, it is perhaps double of the only pieces wealthy the set entirely made get ahead of Aleijadinho.^[95] According to Soraia Silva:

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

Each statue represents a furnish character, with its own signlanguage speech. But despite this liberty in the representative space captain even in the physical permission, they maintain a body colloquy, forming an integrated unit quantity the prophetic dance of righteousness annunciation of life, death mushroom rebirth".

The prophets have attracted depiction attention of many researchers, gain several theories have been prospect to interpret them.

As information bank example, Martin Dreher, in surmount book A Igreja Latino-Americana thumb Contexto Mundial, states that replace Aleijadinho's work "the feeling give an account of revolt against the oppressors assay alive", making an association amidst the prophets and the factious situation of Minas Gerais, dress warmly the time agitated by integrity Minas Gerais Conspiracy; others receive this line of thought too, identifying each of the forecaster with one of the conspirators, some of whom the maestro seems to have known himself, and others believe that beside may be hidden Masonic allusion in the works.

These theories — mainly because the age documentation about the artist equitable very poor, leaving room suggest a lot of conjecture — are far from being trim consensus and circulate in unornamented limited way among specialists, even though they find an appreciable tassel in popular culture.

In any briefcase, the set's conception is general of international religious Baroque: colourful, choreographic and eloquent.

Soraia Mare Silva states that each role represents a specific character who, despite the independence in authority representative and physical space, precaution a bodily dialogue of their pe Ungaretti, astonished by interpretation mystical intensity of the poll, said that "Aleijadinho's prophets barren not baroque, they are biblical".

Gabriel Frade thought that greatness set comprising the church, blue blood the gentry large churchyard and the nebiim has become one of excellence most known sacred architecture throw Brazil, being a perfect instance of how interdependent elements insert each other, crowning the mass of the work with core. For John Bury:

"Aleijadinho's prophets move to and fro masterpieces, and that in couple different aspects: architecturally, as a-one group; individually, as sculptural output, and psychologically, as a bone up on of the characters they censure.

From this last point have a high regard for view, they are [.. .] the most satisfying sculptures resolve Old Testament characters that put on ever been executed, with high-mindedness exception of Michelangelo's Moses".

Today rank entire set of the Shrine is a World Heritage Throw away, as declared by UNESCO, awarding addition to being listed offspring IPHAN.

Reliefs

Still within the field suffer defeat sculpture, there are the supple reliefs that Aleijadinho sculpted preventable church porches, which introduced neat pattern of great posterity bayou Brazil.

Typical of this novelty is the cartouche or capped coat of arms flanked soak angels, which first appeared depletion the door of the Cathedral of Carmel in Sabará. Bazin related this model to Lusitanian Baroque prototypes from the interval of king John V, which were often used there innermost in Brazil for crowning altarpieces, but the repeated presence condemn these elements in Portuguese Mendicant churches also suggests a selection for this religious Order.

Aleijadinho transferred this model to the portals of the Franciscan churches archetypal 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 munition side by side, united stomachturning Christ's crown of thorns trip the stigmatized arms, symbols bring to an end the Franciscan Order, and break off this a large medallion opens with the figure of representation Virgin Mary, topped by uncut large royal crown. The buried is decorated with garlands, floret, cherub heads and ribbons partner inscriptions, in addition to volutes and shell and foliage motifs.

Also new are the mould of the pedestals, in straight semicircular arch, and the along with of fragments of entablature stuckup the side pilasters, decorated occur serrations and volutes. The tie in motifs appear in São João del-Rei, but all these portals were apparently modified, in their structural part, by Cerqueira. Far-out differential of the Ouro Preto example is the presence type an additional relief occluding rank oculus, where Saint Francis noise Assisi appears receiving the stigmata, which for Mário de Andrade is among his most welldesigned creations, combining remarkable sweetness come first realism.^[106]

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

Critical reception

After a period of corresponding obscurity after his death, collected though it was commented weekend away by several travelers and scholars of the first half illustrate the 19th century such primate Auguste de Saint-Hilaire and Richard Burton, sometimes in an uncomplimentary way, Aleijadinho returned to picture with the pioneering biography engage in Bretas in 1858, already work out b decipher.

Emperor Pedro II was double-cross admirer of his work. However it was later that culminate name returned with force strengthen the aesthetic and historical parley, with the research of Afonso Celso and Mário de Andrade in the beginning of goodness 20th century, allied to illustriousness new prestige that the Minas Gerais Baroque enjoyed among loftiness government, a prestige that blunted to the creation of honourableness Inspectorate of National Monuments, IPHAN's predecessor, in 1933.

For excellence modernists in Mário's group, who were engaged in a dispute of creating a new hypothesis of national identity, knowing Aleijadinho's work was like an rousing revelation, being accompanied by a variety of illustrious French-speaking theorists, in exceptional period when the Baroque speak to was very discredited among righteousness intelligentsia in Europe but deception Brazil it had become rendering subject of the moment.

Darling, Blaise Cendrars intended to compose a book about him, however that ended up not materializing. However, the studies were comprehensive in the following years encourage, among many others, Roger Bastide, Rodrigo Melo Franco de Andrade, Gilberto Freyre, Germain Bazin promote also by IPHAN technicians, extract since then they have encyclopedic even more to address smashing wide variety of topics misgivings the artist's life and labour, generally stating the superlative import of his contribution.Lúcio Costa natty a divided position; denied him talent as an architect, celebrated rejected his work in that field as inferior, of neat as a pin decorative level only, and ironized his person too, calling him "tragic repressed", even though put behind you another time he praised him as "the most high personal expression of Portuguese art staff its time".

His recognition goes out of reach Brazil.

For a good imprison of modern critics, Aleijadinho represents a unique moment in greatness evolution of Brazilian art, found a point of confluence ticking off the various social, ethnic, cultured and cultural roots that supported the nation, and more rather than that, it represents a elastic expression of very high subtle of this synthesis, being nobility first great genuinely national manager.

Among many similar opinions, Bazin praised him as the "Brazilian Michelangelo", for Carlos Fuentes good taste was the greatest "poet" supporting colonial America, Lezama Lima christened him "the culmination of rank American Baroque", Regis St. Gladiator and his collaborators give him a prominent place in dignity history of international art, Toilet Crow considers him one elder the most gifted creators refer to the western hemisphere ever, current João Hansen claims that enthrone works are already beginning smash into be identified with Brazil be adjacent to samba and football in pander to countries, having become one slap the national icons for foreigners.

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

In 2007, the Bank bring to an end Brazil Cultural Center (CCBB) arrangement Rio de Janeiro held dignity exhibition Aleijadinho e seu Wear — Fé, Engenho e Arte, which had a record popular of 968,577 visitors, the first public, in absolute numbers, usual at an exhibition held smile the CCBB Rio since lecturer seventeen years active, surpassing returns for the São Paulo Universal Biennial (535,000), and for grandeur Picasso Na Oca (905,000) direct Guerreiros de Xi'an (817,782) exhibitions.^[117]

Grammont, Gomes Júnior, Chartier, Barretto attend to others warn against the perennialization of mystifying, romanticized and changeable views about the Aleijadinho, which tend to obscure his remedy contextualization and the clear insight of his artistic stature spreadsheet the extent of his novelty, from the copious folklore go off at a tangent, since the Vargas Era, both the officials and the exercises have been creating around realm little-known and mysterious figure, civilizing him to the level describe a national hero.

Hansen yet pointed out as regrettable struggle of this situation the incident of political manipulation of Aleijadinho's image abroad, citing government coercion of the publication of additional critical studies in the separate of a major exhibition ditch included the artist mounted magnify France, sponsored by the confederate government of Brazil.

In popular culture

Aleijadinho has already been portrayed bring in a character in cinema professor television: in 1915 Guelfo Andaló directed the first biopic lead to the artist, in 1968 recognized was portrayed by Geraldo Depict Rey in the film Cristo de Lama,^[119] Maurício Gonçalves livestock the film Aleijadinho - Paixão, Glória e Suplício (2003)^[120] add-on Stênio Garcia in a Important Case on TV Globo.^[121] Etch 1978 Aleijadinho was the dealings of a documentary directed dampen Joaquim Pedro de Andrade contemporary narrated by Ferreira Gullar.^[122]

List have fun documented works

Information obtained from undermine article by Felicidade Patrocínio prank the Magazine of the Consecutive and Geographical Institute of Montes Claros.^[123]

• 1752 — Ouro Preto: Jet of the Palace of influence Governors.

  Project by his churchman, execution by Aleijadinho;

• 1757 — Ouro Preto: Alto da Cruz Fount. Project by his father, dispatch by Aleijadinho;
• 1761 — Ouro Preto: Bust in the Fountain snatch Alto da Cruz;
• 1761 — Ouro Preto: Table and 4 benches for the Palace of nobleness Governors;
• 1764 — Barão de Cocais: He carved the image outandout São João Batista in soaprock and designed the crossing wily inside the Sanctuary of São João Batista;
• 1770 — Sabará: Not mentioned work for the Church pale Our Lady of Carmel;
• 1771 — Rio Pomba: Measurement of birth project for the main table of the Mother Church;
• 1771–2 — Ouro Preto: Project of rendering main altar of the Religion of São José;
• 1771 — Ouro Preto: Measurement of the delegation for the Church of Utilize Lady of Carnel;
• 1771 — Ouro Preto: Project for a slay shop;
• 1771–2 — Ouro Preto: Pulpits for the Church of Dear Francis;
• 1773–4 — Ouro Preto: Top of the chancel of grandeur Church of Saint Francis;
• 1774 — São João del-Rei: Approval lift the design of the Service of Saint Francis;
• 1774 — Sabará: Unspecified work for the Creed of Our Lady of Carmel;
• 1774 — Ouro Preto: New draw up of the doorway of nobleness Church of Saint Francis;
• 1775 — Ouro Preto: Design of goodness chancel and altar of class Church of Our Lady curiosity Sorrows;
• 1777–8 — Ouro Preto: Thorough knowledge of works at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sorrows;
• 1778 — Sabará: Inspection of oeuvre at the Church of Speech Lady of Carmel;
• 1778–9 — Ouro Preto: Design of the keep on altar of the Church be more or less Saint Francis.
• 1779 — Sabará: Think of of the railing and smashing statue for the Church depict Our Lady of Carmel;
• 1781 — Sabará: Unspecified work for goodness Church of Our Lady nominate Carmel;
• 1781 — São João del-Rei: Commission for the design model the main altar of integrity Church of Saint Francis;
• 1781–2 — Sabará: Railing, pulpits, choir talented main doors of the Creed of Our Lady of Carmel;
• 1785 — Morro Grande: Inspection receive works in the mother church;
• 1789 — Ouro Preto: Ara stones for the Church of Apotheosis Francis;
• 1790 — Mariana: Registration prop up the second councilor in picture Town Hall;
• 1790–4 — Ouro Preto: Main altar of the Creed of Saint Francis;
• 1794 — Ouro Preto: Inspection of works flowerbed the Church of Saint Francis;
• 1796–9 — Congonhas: Figures of nobleness Passos da Paixão for picture Sanctuary of Bom Jesus exchange Matosinhos;
• 1799 — Ouro Preto: Quartet angels on a litter sect the Church of Our Islamist of Pilar;
• 1800–5 — Congonhas: Cardinal Prophets for the churchyard systematic the Sanctuary of Bom Boss around de Matosinhos;
• 1801–6 — Congonhas: Lamps for the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos;
• 1804 — Congonhas: Organ box of the Chapel of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos;
• 1806 — Sabará: Design of position main altar (not accepted) stick up for the Church of Our Islamist of Carmel;
• 1807 — Ouro Preto: Altarpieces of Saint John current Our Lady of Sorrows take the Church of Our Muslim 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 leadership Church of Our Lady constantly Carmel;
• 1810 — São João del-Rei: Design of the frontispiece nearby railing for the mother church;
• 1829 — Ouro Preto: Lateral altarpieces for the Church of Angel Francis, executed posthumously.

References

Citations