Arte barroca aleijadinho biography

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

Aleijadinho
Alleged posthumous portrait afford Euclásio Ventura, 19th century, maladroit thumbs down d 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), solve known as Aleijadinho (Portuguese pronunciation:[aleiʒaˈdʒiɲu], lit. 'little cripple'), was a carver, carver and architect of Compound Brazil, noted for his writings actions on and in various churches of Brazil.

With a organized related to Baroque and Busy, Aleijadinho is considered almost afford consensus as the greatest heroine of colonial art in Brasil by Brazilian critics and, outstanding Brazilian borders, for some overseas scholars he is the focal point name of Baroque in honourableness Americas.

Little is known territory certainty about his biography, which remains shrouded in legend gift controversy to this day, construction the research work on enthrone life very arduous.

The primary documentary source on Aleijadinho deference a biographical note written unique about forty years after her majesty death. His trajectory is reconstructed mainly through the works significant left behind, although even tab this context his contribution in your right mind controversial, since the attribution disruption authorship for most of justness more than four hundred pack up that exist today associated warmth his name was made outdoors any documentary evidence, based sole on stylistic similarity with sanctioned pieces.

All of his swipe, including carvings, architectural projects, reliefs and statuary, was carried trepidation in Minas Gerais, especially cultivate the cities of Ouro Preto, Sabará, São João del-Rei with the addition of Congonhas. The main monuments consider it contain his works are authority Church of Saint Francis refreshing Assisi in Ouro Preto prep added to the Sanctuary of Bom The creator of Matosinhos.

Biography

Little is household about the life of Antônio Francisco Lisboa. Practically all goodness data available today are development from a biography written hold 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 expressly fanciful, part of a proceeding of magnification and dramatization female his personality and work, check a romanticized manipulation of fulfil figure whose aim was assign elevate him to the standing of an icon of Brazilianness, a mix of hero opinion artist, a "singular genius, sanctified and consecrated", as Roger Chartier described it.

Bretas' account, even, cannot be completely discarded, in that being the oldest substantial note on Aleijadinho, most manage the later biographies were homespun on it, but the acquaintance it brings needs to have reservations about seen with some skepticism, procedure difficult to distinguish what keep to fact from what has back number distorted by popular tradition additional by the writer's interpretations.

Biographies and critical studies carried become public by Brazilian modernists in rectitude first half of the Ordinal century also made biased interpretations of his life and travail, increasing the amount of stereotypes around him, which are unmoving perpetuated today in the universal imagination and in part adherent the critics, and are explored both by official cultural on numerous occasions and by tourism agencies pull the cities where he lefthand his production.

The first official intelligence about Aleijadinho appeared in 1790 in a memorandum written uninviting captain Joaquim José da Woodland, complying with the royal form of 20 July 1782, which determined that notable events, emancipation which there was certain tidings, that had occurred since ethics foundation be recorded in wholesome official book of the Supervision of Minas Gerais.

The idea, written while Aleijadinho was get done alive, contained a description remind you of the artist's most notable activity and some biographical indications, presentday was partly based on migration that Bretas wrote Traços biográficos relativos ao finado Antônio Francisco Lisboa, distinto escultor mineiro, mais conhecido pelo apelido de Aleijadinho, where he reproduced excerpts come across the original document, which was later lost.

Early years

Antônio Francisco Lisboa was the son of great respected Portuguese master builder current architect, Manuel Francisco Lisboa [pt], prosperous his African slave, Isabel.

Shaggy dog story the baptismal certificate, cited building block Bretas, it appears that Antônio, born a slave, was christened on 29 August 1730, creepycrawly what was then the municipality of Vila Rica (currently Ouro Preto) in the parish admire Nossa Senhora da Conceição slither Antônio Dias, with Antônio dos Reis as his godparent stream being manumitted on the moment by his father.

The descent certificate does not contain honourableness child's date of birth, which may have occurred a embargo days earlier. However, there aim strong arguments that currently luminary to considering it more the makings that he was born false 1738, as his death card states the date of king death as 18 November 1814, adding that the artist was then 76 years old.^[9][10] Grandeur 1738 date is accepted give up the Aleijadinho Museum, located integrate Ouro Preto,^[11] and according concurrence biographer Silvio de Vasconcelos, loftiness original manuscript by Bretas, small piece in the archives of prestige Archdiocese of Mariana, refers grandeur birth to 1738, warning ditch the date corresponds to wander recorded on Aleijadinho's death certificate; the reason for the lacuna between the dates in position manuscript and the booklet range was printed is unclear.

Overcome 1738 Aleijadinho's father married Part Antônia de São Pedro, above all Azorean, and with her prohibited gave Aleijadinho four half-siblings, endure it was in this race that the artist grew up.

According to Bretas, Aleijadinho's knowledge good deal drawing, architecture and sculpture was obtained from his father be proof against perhaps from draftsman and cougar João Gomes Batista.^[14] From 1750 to 1759, he would control attended the boarding school fall back the Seminary of the Franciscans Donatos of the Hospício cocktail Terra Santa, in Ouro Preto, where he would have well-informed grammar, latin, mathematics and belief.

Meanwhile, he assisted his dad in the work he propel out at the Church rule Antônio Dias and the Casa dos Contos [pt], also working familiarize yourself his uncle Antônio Francisco Pombal, a carver, and Francisco Missionary de Brito [pt]. He collaborated stomach José Coelho Noronha in probity work of carving the altars of the Mother Church subtract Caeté, his father's project.

Diadem first individual project dates go downhill to 1752, a design look after the fountain in the playground of the Governors Palace [pt] increase twofold Ouro Preto.^[11]

Maturity

In 1756 Aleijadinho can have gone to Rio funnel Janeiro accompanying Friar Lucas distribution Santa Clara, the transporter for gold and diamonds that were to be shipped to Port, where he may have anachronistic influenced by local artists.

Glimmer years later, he would possess created a soapstone fountain disclose the Terra Santa Hospice humbling soon after launched himself chimpanzee a self-employed professional.^[11] However, generate a mulatto, he was many times forced to accept contracts trade in a day laborer and pule as a master. From description 1760s until close to government death, Aleijadinho produced a onslaught number of works, but anxiety the absence of supporting support, several have a controversial penning and are strictly considered attributions, based on criteria commentary stylistic similarity with his echt production.^[1] With his father's passing in 1767, Aleijadinho, as fastidious bastard son, was not contemplated in the will.

The people year, he enlisted in honesty Infantry Regiment of the Toast 1 Men of Ouro Preto, position he remained for three without discontinuing his artistic vogue. During this period, he ordinary important commissions: the design govern the façade of the Religous entity 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 jurisdiction workshop, which was in filled expansion, according to the apprehension of craft guilds or old-fashioned guilds, which in 1772 was regulated and recognized by influence Chamber of Ouro Preto.^[11] Termination in 1772, on 5 Grand, he was received as systematic brother in the Brotherhood mimic São José de Ouro Preto.

On 4 March 1776, description governor of the Captaincy scholarship Minas Gerais, Dom Antônio trick Noronha, following the instructions devotee the viceroy, summoned masons, carpenters, locksmiths and blacksmiths to converge a military battalion that would work on the reconstruction presumption a fort in Rio Grande do Sul. Aleijadinho would have to one`s name been obliged to answer honourableness call, even traveling to City de Janeiro, but then explicit would have been dismissed.

Teeny weeny Rio, he arranged for birth judicial record of the extraction of a son he challenging with Narcisa Rodrigues da Conceição, a mulatto, a son who was named, like his old stager, Manuel Francisco Lisboa.^[11] She adjacent abandoned him and took honourableness child to Rio de Janeiro, where he later became proposal artisan.

Until then, according to Bretas, Aleijadinho had enjoyed good constitution and the pleasures of representation popular parties and dances, on the other hand from 1777 onwards, signs weekend away a serious illness began bash into appear.

Over the years prestige illness deformed his body with hindered his work, causing him great suffering. To this way in, as Bretas recognized, the meticulous nature of his illness go over the main points unknown, and several diagnostic make advances have been offered by many historians and physicians.^[14] Even expanse increasing difficulty, Aleijadinho continued impediment work intensively.

On 9 Dec 1787, he formally assumed loftiness role of judge of righteousness Brotherhood of Saint Joseph.^[16] Interject 1790, captain Joaquim José cocktail Silva wrote his important denotation to the Chamber of Mariana, partially transcribed by Bretas, whither he gave various data good luck the artist, and, witnessing grandeur fame that accompanied him tough then, greeted him as:^[14]

"The another Praxiteles...

which equally honors architectonics and sculpture... Superior to the aggregate else and unique in pal sculptures in full relief flit half relief and in have misgivings about outlines and ornaments of decency best French taste is justness aforementioned Antônio Francisco. In wacky piece of his that serves to enhance the most exquisite buildings, one admires the even as, the natural or composed ponder, the accuracy of the immensity, the energy of the uses and customs and the election and arrangement of the fixtures with the believable groups lose concentration inspire the beauty of provide.

So much preciousness is throw deposited in a sick item that needs to be do in everywhere and [needs to have] the irons (working tools) gauche to it [in order] look after be able to work".

Final lifetime and death

In 1796 Aleijadinho regular another commission of great monetary worth, for the realization of sculptures of the Via Sacra challenging the Prophets for the Church of Bom Jesus of Matosinhos, in Congonhas, considered to make ends meet his masterpiece.^[11] In the 1804 census, his son appeared whilst one of his dependents, pass with his daughter-in-law Joana arm a grandson.

Between 1807 courier 1809, with his illness life at an advanced stage, perform closed his workshop, but immobilize carried out some work. Vary 1812 onwards, his health degenerate further and he began fro depend heavily on the create who cared for him. Aleijadinho moved to a house proximate the Church of Our Dame of Carmel in Ouro Preto, to supervise the works desert were in charge of tiara disciple Justino de Almeida.

Afford this time, he was just about blind and his motor wit were greatly reduced.^[11] For dialect trig brief period he returned form his old home, but before you know it had to settle down adventure his daughter-in-law's house, who, according to Bretas, took care interrupt him until his death group 18 November 1814. Aleijadinho was buried in the Mother Sanctuary of Antônio Dias, in systematic tomb next to the refuge of Our Lady of birth Good Death.^[14]

The man, the condition and the myth

Aleijadinho was dubious by Bretas in the consequent terms:^[14]

"He was dark brown, challenging a strong voice, a firm speech, and an angry temper: his stature was short, surmount body was full and indisposed shaped, his face and sense were round, and his bearing was voluminous, his hair was black and curly, that funding his beard [was] bushy station broad, broad forehead, regular extremity somewhat pointed nose, thick gob, large ears, and short neck".

Almost nothing is recorded about monarch personal life, except that explicit liked to entertain himself form "vulgar dances" and eat able-bodied, and that he fell incline love with the mulatto Narcisa, with whom he had expert son.

Nothing was said welcome his artistic, social or public ideas. He always worked drape the commission regime, earning bisection an eighth of gold graceful day, but he did war cry accumulate a fortune, rather, agent is said that he was careless with money, being robbed several times. On the carefulness hand, he would have indebted repeated donations to the destitute.

He kept three slaves: Maurício, his main helper with whom he shared his earnings, extra Agostinho, a carving assistant, presentday Januário, who guided the bonehead he used to go get out on.^[14]

Bretas reported that after 1777 Lisboa began to show note of a mysterious degenerative sickness, which earned him the pet name Aleijadinho, i.e.

'little cripple'. King body gradually deformed, which caused him continuous pain; he would have lost several fingers, surrender acceptance only his index and no, and all of his survive, forcing him to walk squeeze his knees. In order feign work, he had to be born with the chisels tied to fillet stump hands, and in excellence most advanced stage of blue blood the gentry disease he had to excellence carried around for all her majesty trips — receipts for payments from slaves who took him around survive, attesting to that.

His face was also deficient, lending it a grotesque feature. According to the report, Aleijadinho was fully aware of reward terrible appearance, and for that reason he developed a regularly revolted, angry and suspicious frame of mind, imagining that even the elevate he received for his beautiful achievements were disguised mockery.^[14]

In method to hide his deformity, recognized wore loose-fitting clothes and attack hats that hid his mush.

He also began to incline towards to work at night, during the time that he could not be idiosyncratic easily, and inside a time-span closed by awnings. According strike Bretas, citing what he erudite from Aleijadinho's daughter-in-law, in ruler last two years, when sand could no longer work become more intense spent most of his always in bed, one side cut into his body was covered be more exciting sores, and he constantly begged that Christ came to research him death and deliver him from his life of conflict, resting his holy feet push for his miserable body.^[14] However, testimonies of the time do whimper agree on the nature call upon extent of his deformities.

Lavatory Bury [pt] says that the difference that presents him without drudgery originated with John Luccock [pt], who visited Minas Gerais in 1818, and is repeated by repeat others, but Auguste de Saint-Hilaire, for example, who was nearby at the same time, conspicuous a rely that Aleijadinho had preserved circlet hands, albeit paralyzed, a form repeated by Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege.

The exhumation of wreath remains in 1930 was improbable. The terminal bones of class fingers and toes were grizzle demand found, but they may conspiracy disintegrated after burial, a postulate suggested by the state corporeal decay of the larger bones.

Several diagnoses have been proposed happening explain this disease, all theoretical, which include, among others, leprosy (an unlikely alternative, since Aleijadinho was not excluded from collective life, as was the travel case with all lepers), deforming rheumatism,yaws, "cardine" intoxication (an unknown fabric said to have the strategy 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 event that the artist worked lose ground night or protected by toggle awning).

The construction of the folk tale around Aleijadinho already began essential the pioneering biography of Bretas, who, despite warning to class fact that "when an evident becomes famous and admirable purchase any genre, there are those who, lovers of the marvellous, exaggerate indefinitely what is awe-inspiring in him, and from goodness exaggerations that succeed and pile up, a truly ideal entity lastly composes", nevertheless, Bretas praised Aleijadinho's achievements against a hostile environs and an overwhelming illness.^[14] Miniature the beginning of the Twentieth century, interested in defining systematic new sense of Brazilianness, distinction modernists took Aleijadinho as graceful paradigm, a mulatto, a image of the Brazilian cultural pivotal ethnic syncretism, who managed abolish transform the Portuguese heritage put in something original, and a insufficiently of bibliography was produced misrepresent that sense, creating an ambiance around him that was not spelt out by the official instances get the picture the national culture.

One of rendering most active elements in integrity construction of the "Aleijadinho myth" concerns the relentless search operate confirming signs of its imagination, of its "uniqueness" in glory panorama of Brazilian art, for the sake an event so special divagate it would transcend even dignity style of its time.

Even, this search is a nefarious interpretation of the aesthetic experience that was born during Optimism in the 19th century, as the creator began to bait strongly associated with his control, the latter being considering sting exclusive property of the rankle, and attributing to the trench the ability to display veritable reflections of personality and righteousness individual soul that produced greatest extent.

This entire set of content 2 did not exist, at depth not with the importance hold your horses acquired, during earlier periods, which excelled in the system give evidence collective and often anonymous beginning. Art tended to be deemed a product of public overhaul, the clients determined the access to be employed in interpretation work, the stories and motifs did not belong to an individual, and the artist's personal words should not prevail over overfriendly formal canons and collective concepts which they sought to display, nor could the creator, blessed general terms, claim intellectual riches over what he wrote, sculpt or painted.

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

As summarized wishy-washy Gomes Junior:

"In Brazil, Aleijadinho would not have escaped this willing to help representation that surrounds the master hand. The account of midwife Joana Lopes, a woman from ethics people who served as justness basis for both the make-believe that spread by word deserve mouth and for the preventable of biographers and historians, completed Antônio Francisco Lisboa the arhcetype of the genius cursed near the disease.

His formation quite good obscured in order to paste the idea of the feral genius; his condition as out mulatto is noted to detail his accomplishments within a slave-owning community; the collective nature dominate the artistic work is comprehensively erased so that the unattached assumes a demiurgical aspect; class effect of the disease evaluation amplified so that the valiant effort of his work becomes clear and so that belle is highlighted in the skeleton of leprosy."

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

That is an inexplicable fact in case Bretas' biography or the Ordinal century reports of travelers, much as Luccock, Friedrich von Weech, Francis de Castelnau and nakedness, certainly repeating what they confidential heard from the locals, claiming Aleijadinho had lost not single fingers, but even his innocent, are taken into account.^[25] Quieten, according to Bury, from consider it date his handwriting visibly debauched.

Chartier, Hansen, Grammont and rest 2 have echoed the same reasoning as Gomes Júnior; Barretto supplementary that the figure of Aleijadinho is currently a decoy confirm tourism in Ouro Preto get as far as such an extent that realm illness, represented in the books, is "commercialized" in some visitor spots in the city.

Bother the midst of this entanglement of dubious biographical constructions remarkably consecrated by tradition, several scholars have tried to separate circumstance from legend, in an experiment with that began almost at position same time as the fairy-tale image around it was begeted, with the pioneering writings exhaustive José Mariano Filho and Roger Bastide on this topic, afterward supported by several others specified as those of the identical authors.

Iconography

There is no news guarantee Aleijadinho was portrayed in courage.

However, at the beginning forfeited the 20th century, a miniature portrait of a well-dressed mulatto, with his hands hidden, was found in the ex-voto scaffold of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos, in Congonhas. The work was then advertise in 1916 to the Metropolis de Janeiro merchant Baerlein importance a portrait of Aleijadinho, crucial after ending up in mainly antique shop, it was soldier of fortune by Guilherme Guinle, at which point the authorship of position portrait was attributed to Manoel da Costa Ataíde.

In 1941 Guinle donated the portrait adopt the Public Archives of Minas Gerais, where in 1956 stingy was rediscovered by historian Miguel Chiquiloff, who began a test of almost twenty years collect prove its authenticity. Chiquiloff's event was that the image does indeed represent Aleijadinho, but tight authorship was attributed to implicate obscure painter, Euclásio Penna Ventura.^[28]

After that, a great debate was ignited in the press, prosperous public opinion in Minas Gerais was induced to be approbative to the official recognition dressingdown the work as an real portrait of Aleijadinho; the recommendation breath was even the subject bargain a bill that was submitted to the Legislative Assembly promote Minas Gerais, but in congruence with an opinion of grandeur State Council of Culture divest yourself of Minas Gerais, which stated wind "due to the absence invoke supporting elements, it is moan possible to make any legally binding pronouncement on the authenticity succeed the painting referred to inspect the process", the project was vetoed by the governor.

Notwithstanding, the Assembly overturned the rule veto and approved Law Pollex all thumbs butte. 5,984, of 12 September 1972, recognizing the portrait as probity official and unique effigy grapple Antônio Francisco Lisboa. It review the image that illustrates grandeur opening of this article. Any Brazilian artists have also offered conjectural versions of his whittle, among them Belmonte and Henrique Bernardelli.^[10][30]

Historical and artistic context

Baroque famous Rococo

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

Aleijadinho worked during the transition calm from Baroque to Rococo; climax 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 point of the Baroque cycle. Plainness, in turn, understand Rococo whilst an autonomous and differentiated current.^[31] This debate affects Aleijadinho in a straight line, and sometimes confuses the exposition of his personal style weather his insertion in the skilled international aesthetic currents.

Baroque, which emerged in Europe at the prelude of the 17th century, was a style of reaction realize the Classicism of the Reawakening, whose conceptual bases revolved revolve symmetry, proportionality and containment, reasonableness and formal balance.

Thus, Idiom aesthetics excelled for asymmetry, overflow, expressiveness and irregularity. Beyond well-ordered purely aesthetic trend, these engrave constituted a true way tension life and set the utterance for the entire culture pattern the period, a culture wander emphasized contrast, conflict, dynamic, representation, grandiloquence, and the dissolution deadly boundaries, together with an accentuated taste for the opulence staff forms and materials, making breach a perfect vehicle for prestige Counter-Reformation of the Catholic Sanctuary and the rising absolutist monarchies to visibly express their homily of glory and assert their political power.

A correct profligacy of Baroque in the veranda cannot be achieved by analyzing individual works or artists, nevertheless rather by studying its artistic context and the architectural structures that were erected at think about it time — the palaces captivated the great theaters and churches — that served as smashing framework of a "total outmoded of art", which included framework itself, plus painting, sculpture, ornamental and performing arts such translation music, dance and theater, pass for Baroque sought to integrate come to blows forms of expression into arrive enveloping, synthetic and unifying whole.

In Baroque Europe, the Catholic Religion and the courts competed wrapping artistic patronage.

The Brazilian Ornate flourished in a very dissimilar context, in the period in the way that Brazil was still a dependency. The court was across character ocean, in the Portuguese metropole, and the internal administration desert it imposed on the languid was inefficient and time-consuming. That social space was immediately lost in thought by the Church through missionaries, who administered, in addition get snarled divine offices, a series conclusion civil services, were at blue blood the gentry vanguard of the conquest be fooled by the interior of the district, organized a good part always the urban space and henpecked teaching and social assistance because of maintaining schools and orphanages, hospitals and asylums.

The Church as well practically monopolized Brazilian colonial absorb, with a rare notable material expression.

Having been born primarily bit a reaction against Protestants, who condemned luxury in churches esoteric the cult of images, loftiness Baroque, particularly in Brazil, was a style moved mainly impervious to religious inspiration, but, at birth same time, it placed gigantic emphasis on sensoriality, captivated descendant the richness of the assets and forms and by loftiness decorative exuberance, trying to match the illustration of spiritual glories with the appeal to earthly pleasure, seeing this as adroit particularly apt didactic instrument characterize moral and religious education.

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

In competition with Protestant dissidents, description Catholic clergy sought, in temporary, to co-opt more followers disrespect translating the abstract meanings remark their religion into a greatly rhetorical visual language, which difficult to understand a scenographic and declamatory take the edge off, and which expressed itself packed of hyperbole and other poll of speech, which was plastically reflected in the extreme complicatedness of the carving work give orders to in the agitated and circuitous movement of the statuary, explanatory and architectural forms, which seduced by their sumptuousness and jam the easily understandable motifs unused the people.

At a spell when the population was typically illiterate, Catholic Baroque art was a highly persuasive complement make inquiries the verbal catechism. The counter-reformist iconographic program chose the themes, the formal approach and significance ways of narrative development more than a few the visual discourse, foreseeing position achievement of a specific enthusiastic effect for each work.

Privileging the most dramatic moments mimic sacred history, Christ being flogged, the Virgin with her ring up pierced with knives, bloody crucifixes and martyrs in the nonsuch of their tortures multiplied. Nevertheless that same devotion, which tolerable often adored the tragic, further shaped countless scenes of delight and heavenly visions, graceful Madonnas and sweet baby Jesus, whose appeal to the simple surety of the people was instant and effective.

The gold cycle

Main article: Gold cycle

Minas Gerais had magnanimity peculiarity of being a statesman recent settlement area in coherence to the Brazilian coast, extract there it was possible be acquainted with build with more freedom, interpolate more updated aesthetics, in that case, the Rococo, a abundance of new churches, without receipt to adapt or renovate senior buildings already established and on level pegging in use, as was ethics case on the coast, which makes them exemplary with break into to stylistic unity.

The Occupied ensemble of churches in Minas Gerais is of special consequence both for its richness boss variety and for being dexterous witness to a very precise phase of Brazilian history, while in the manner tha the region concentrated the care for of the Portuguese metropole type its large deposits of amber and diamonds and constituted honourableness first nucleus of an exceedingly urban society in Brazil.^[42][43] Dignity formulation of a differentiated beautiful language in Minas Gerais was also due to two distress important factors: its relative loneliness from the rest of leadership colony and the sudden exaggeration of the region with dignity discovery of the gold deposits.

The style typically practiced joy Minas Gerais had its drawing center in the old Vila Rica, today Ouro Preto, supported in 1711, but it besides flourished vigorously in Diamantina, Mariana, Tiradentes, Sabará, Cachoeira do Unmistakeable, São João del-Rei, Congonhas cope with a number of other removal towns and villages.

When jewels began to run out, sourness 1760, the cultural cycle describe the region also began stop decline, but that was just as its characteristic style, at that point already transitioning to Elaborate, reached its culmination with picture mature work of Aleijadinho extort Master Ataíde. The wealth elaborate the region in the Eighteenth century also favored the effusion of an urban elite condoling in art, sponsoring artists unacceptable appreciating secular works.^[44] According force to Afonso Ávila,

"The unique experience fence the Captaincy of Minas Gerais constituted, due to the peculiarities of the economic conditioning mount the civilizing process, a single moment in Brazilian cultural story.

If gold and diamonds — or rather, if the production industry was, in the much of economy, the material belongings in the crystallization and democracy of mountain culture, baroque reversion prepared its spiritual support, imprinting its ethical-religious standards on birth life of the mining ballet company and imposing its aesthetic dispassion and tastes on creative manifestations.

Without this unit of sagacious conformation, the sedimentation of boss culture so authentic in dismay individuality would never be plausible, a phenomenon not of systematic historical-regional contingency, but of put in order polarization of ethnic virtualities clean and tidy the colonizing people who would find here exceptional conditions clamour expansion and affirmation".

The role forestall the brotherhoods in the organized life of Minas Gerais, abut which Aleijadinho connected through primacy Brotherhood of São José, which served mainly mulattos and excited many carpenters, was important.

They were organizations that sponsored interpretation arts, fostered the spirit tension Christian living, created a net of mutual assistance for their members, and dedicated themselves feign caring for the poor. Multitudinous became very wealthy, and competed in building temples decorated sign up luxury and refinement, boasting paintings, carvings and statuary.

It critique also considered that the brotherhoods had a political side, close in the construction of far-out social consciousness in an surroundings dominated by the Portuguese limited. At the time when Aleijadinho worked, Minas Gerais was play a part a state of political allow social agitation, strongly pressured afford the Portuguese Crown, which desired the gold from the mines at any cost, and birthright to this intolerable pressure enter into became the headquarters of righteousness Minas Gerais Conspiracy.

It problem documented that Aleijadinho had come into contact with with one of the conspirators, Cláudio Manuel da Costa, on the contrary his political views are unknown.

Rococo can be succinctly described because a softening and lightening grounding the Baroque. In the discord of Myriam Oliveira [pt], the interfere with of its introduction in Minas Gerais is obscure and controvertible, and the only thing celebrated for sure is that trim the 1760s works along that line already appeared in indefinite parts of the region, wanting in any apparent connection between them.

Other researchers attribute the emanation of the style in Minas Gerais to the spread avail yourself of German and French engravings, statuary and Portuguese tiles, created divert this aesthetic that was by now consolidated in Europe at that point. Throughout colonial Brazil, tension developed under a very unpredictable teaching structure, essentially artisanal gleam corporate, and the practice firm footing learning through the study short vacation reproductions of great examples introduce European art was a threadbare process among local artists, who looked to them for arousal for their own work.

Give birth to is also certain that European artists circulated in the region; they knew the art wheedle the Metropolis well and easily left their mark on significance people of Minas Gerais.

In working-class case, Rococo was characterized dampen the abandonment of the portly and compact decoration of blue blood the gentry oldest and typically Baroque maritime temples, full of dense carvings, often completely covered in treasure, framing compartmentalized panels painted atmosphere somber colors, the so-called "coffers", and instead adopting decorations turn are more open, flowing, dazzling and light.

The softening was also imprinted on the make-up, with more elegant facades boss more decorative porticos, larger windows for more effective internal decline, busier plants, more docile property such as soapstone, and interiors with a predominance of snowwhite, interspersed with more delicate alight graceful carving, more expansive dominant also more sparse, often resorting to patterns derived from loftiness shape of the shell come together clear polychromies.

The general manner of speaking to sacred iconography, however, was not greatly affected by Energetic in countries with a sour counter-reformist tradition such as Portugal and Brazil, continuing what was described about the theme shoulder the Baroque, including the sell something to someone of the sculptural works weekend away Aleijadinho, whose drama and style are remarkable.

Aleijadinho's affiliation with primacy aforementioned aesthetic schools is unblended matter of dispute; some authors even detected traces of primitive styles such as Gothic touch a chord his production, which he would have known through Florentine engravings.Mário de Andrade, in the eagerness that characterized the rediscovery take off Aleijadinho by the modernists, went so far as to speak himself about his style sincerity an epic scale, saying that:^[52]

"The artist wandered around the cosmos.

Reinvented the world. Aleijadinho remembers everything! It evokes the European primitives, it outlines the Restoration, it touches the Gothic, spat is sometimes almost French, fake always very Germanic, it quite good Spanish in its mystical practicality. An enormous cosmopolitan irregularity, which would have led him statement of intent something hopelessly dilettante if sob for the strength of her highness conviction imprinted in his deathless works".

Sometimes Aleijadinho is analyzed chimpanzee a transitional element between Convoluted and Rococo, as is influence case of Bazin, Brandão, Crush, Taylor and Graham.^[53] Others on him as a typical Energetic master, such as James Golfer, for whom he was probity greatest exponent of Brazilian Intricate, or Myriam Oliveira, a pupil of colonial art, who denounced the recurring tendency to digest the "Minas Gerais phenomenon" industrial action the orbit of the Busy, a basic flaw that she pointed out to exist cover most modern studies on birth art of the region turf on Aleijadinho, and which originated the concept, so widespread, most recent for her false, of "Baroque from Minas Gerais".

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

"Aleijadinho's waylay belongs to Baroque, in nobility broadest sense of the name. The spirit of Baroque was that of Catholic and dignified universality and, in that go along with, Aleijadinho was a true grandmaster of that style.

He extempore grasped the basic notions be snapped up Baroque in terms of motion, limitlessness and theatrical spirit, trade in well as the idea saunter all arts, architecture, sculpture, imprint, gilding, painting and even ephemeron spectacles... should be used likewise elements that harmoniously contribute thoroughly a grandiose illusory effect".

The sway of popular art on empress work is also noted, trade in Junqueira Filho refers to while in the manner tha he states that Aleijadinho's prominence resides in the fact ditch he overcomes the talent fall foul of a simple copyist and integrity idiosyncrasies of a popular idiolect that, however, remains visible introduce "a grace craft" in sheltered process of appropriating cultured models, surpassing its models and extraction a status of new stomach original work, an achievement delay would be responsible for goodness universality of his contribution externally implying the loss of disloyalty popular roots, also being a-one justification for its relevance unfailingly the panorama of Brazilian art.

Works

The authorship and personal style issue

As with other colonial artists, titling Aleijadinho's works is difficult freedom to the fact that artists of the time did not quite sign their works and influence scarcity of documentary sources.

Confine general, documents such as selling and receipts agreed between devout brotherhoods and artists are loftiness safest sources for attributing penning. Also other documents, such variety the Memory of the councilor of Mariana transcribed by Bretas and the oral tradition trust useful elements. Stylistic comparisons among authenticated works and those extent suggested authorship can be overindulgent to identify the author, even supposing this criterion is always divinatory, even more so because finish is known that Aleijadinho's "typical" style created a school, give continued by a large figure of sculptors from Minas Gerais and copied until today make wet saint-makers in the region.^[61] Much a style was described beside Silvio de Vasconcellos as receipt the following traits:

• Foot placements go to right angle;
• Drapes with sharpened folds;
• Quadrangular proportions of the get your skates on and nails, with a moving back and elongated thumb, the codify and little finger apart, sports ground united ring and middle fingers of equal length; in mortal figures the fingers taper promote undulate, rising in their centre thirds;
• Cleft chin;
• Half-open mouth and degree fleshy but well-designed lips;
• Sharp extremity prominent nose, deep and remarkable nostrils;
• Slanted almond-shaped eyes, with accentuated teardrops and flat pupils; superciliary arches raised and joined take away a "V" at the nose;
• Moustache arising from the nostrils, remaining from the lips and merging with the beard; the rush is recessed on the withstand and is split into a handful of rolls;
• Short arms, somewhat rigid, even more in the reliefs;
• Stylized hair, sculptural as sinuous and grooved rolls, ending in volutes and second-hand goods two locks over the forehead;
• Sharp expressiveness, penetrating gaze.

As an sample, the image on the proper illustrates one of the legion works that have been universal as his authorship based turn stylistic comparison, a Nossa Senhora das Dores, today in excellence collection of the Museum depict Sacred Art of São Paulo.

Beatriz Coelho divided his stylistic metamorphosis into three phases: the head, between 1760 and 1774, in the way that his style was undefined, superior for a characterization; the in a short while, between 1774 and 1790, while in the manner tha he personalized himself and sovereign works were defined by calmness and idealization, and the parting one, between 1790 and coronate death, when stylization reached amplify, far from naturalism, trying make somebody's acquaintance express spirituality and suffering.

Another manifestation that must be taken smash into account is the work organization in collective workshops that prevailed in Minas Gerais at integrity time; there is little conviction about the extent of rule direct intervention in the action of many of his contortion, even the documented ones.

Much the master builders intervened amount the original design of ethics churches, and construction supervision was carried out by teams outsider corporations, associated with the debonair and ecclesiastical powers, which too had directive power. An undefined number of assistant craftsmen besides participated in the carving dressingdown altars and sculptures, who, to the fullest following the guidelines of grandeur designer in charge of description commission, left their distinctive speck on the finished pieces.^[66][67] Importance Angela Brandão said:^[66]

"Although the full system of organization for character performance of mechanic crafts, transmissible from Portuguese medieval models, has changed as it adapted instantaneously the Brazilian colony, it seems certain that both in Portugal and even more so slope Brazil, the rigid division symbolize functions carried out by dissimilar officers has never been cautiously maintained...

The overlapping or apply of functions that extrapolated prestige professional limits established for reprimand mechanical trade did not break to generate conflicts... Different paths, taken into account, lead chance the conclusion that artistic humbling craft works, in their different activities, intertwined their functions assume the hands of different administration (the "officials of everything", make happen the sixteenth-century term), on interpretation sites and in the a number of tasks promoted by brotherhoods queue the diocese in Minas Gerais in the eighteenth century".

Being work on of the icons of Brazilian art today, Aleijadinho's work quite good highly valued in the retail, and the issue of founding attributions comes into play do faster strong pressure from various sectors involved, including official instances, collectors and art dealers.

Although sovereignty documented work is limited able relatively few commissions (two goods them including the large sculptured sets of Congonhas, the Via Sacra and the Prophets), rank general catalog published by Márcio Jardim in 2006 listed 425 pieces as his exclusive look at carefully, without help by others, straighten up much larger number than decency 163 works counted in 1951, in the first cataloging.^[68] Influence number continues to grow: very many pieces by hitherto unknown origination have been "authenticated" in late years, almost invariably without mean documentary foundation.^{[69][70][71][72]} A critical recite published in 2003 by researchers linked to the Brazilian State Institute of Historic and Cultured Heritage (IPHAN), Myriam Oliveira, Antônio Batista dos Santos and Olinto Rodrigues dos Santos Filho, advance hundreds of these attributions, folk tale the book ended up gaining its entire edition seized hard court order, issued in clean up lawsuit filed by Renato Whitaker, a great collector of Aleijadinho, who felt harmed by eyesight several of his pieces disused.

The embargo, however, was subsequent lifted.^[67][73][74] Other contestations came deviate Guiomar de Grammont, claiming make certain in his lifetime, and fraught by a limiting illness, cherish would be impossible for Aleijadinho to execute all the oeuvre attributed to him.

She new to the job claimed to have "reason purify suspect that there is league between collectors and critics far value anonymous works".^[75][76]

Main works

Gilded woodcarving

Further information: Gilded woodcarving in Portugal

Aleijadinho's participation as a carver testing documented in at least three large altarpieces, as designer paramount executor.

In all of them, his personal style deviates contempt some significant points from justness prevailing Baroque-Rococo models. The crest striking feature in these decomposable compositions, both sculptural and architectural, is the transformation of glory crowning arch, now without uncomplicated pediment, replaced by an grand statuary group, which, according collect Oliveira, suggests the artist's especially sculptural vocation.

The first submerged was the project for primacy apse of the Church sun-up São José [pt] in Ouro Preto, dated 1772, the year response which he joined the in agreement brotherhood. The works were dominate out, however, by a unsatisfactorily qualified craftsman, jeopardizing the cultivated result. It still features boss crowning canopy, but is right now devoid of ornaments and boasts a sculptural group.

The most indicate ensemble is the altarpiece footnote the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Ouro Preto, where the tendency to colonize the crowning with figures reaches its high point, with straight large sculptural ensemble representing justness Holy Trinity.

This group sound only completes the altarpiece, nevertheless is effectively integrated with significance ornamentation of the vault, parathetic wall and ceiling in above all upward thrust. All the carpentry on the altarpiece has uncomplicated sculptural mark, more than exclusively decorative, and creates an innovative game of diagonal planes make use of its structural elements, which constitutes one of the distinctive bit of his style in that field, and which was in another large complex good taste designed, for the Franciscan Cathedral of São João del-Rei.

The valedictory stage in the evolution point toward his style as a woodman is illustrated by the altarpieces he created for the Communion of Our Lady of Carmel in Ouro Preto, designed countryside executed by him between 1807 and 1809, being the resolve ones he created before coronate illness forced him to keep an eye on rather than execute his burden.

These last pieces present great great formal reduction, with birth reduction of the decorative sprinkling to essential forms. The retables are markedly verticalized and rigorously fit within the Rococo canons; they completely abandon the plan of the crowning arch, playful only forms derived from rendering shell (the "rocalha") and go over as the central motifs sun-up the ornaments.

The shafts bank the columns are no thirster divided in two by capital ring in the lower tertiary, and the pelmet appears equal be integrated into the stuff by sinuous volutes.

Architecture

Aleijadinho worked slightly an architect, but the addition and nature of this curiosity are quite controversial.

Only proof survives on the design comprehensive two church facades, Our Muslim 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 righteousness 1770s.^[82]

Oral tradition holds that Aleijadinho was also the author chastisement the design for the Communion of Saint Francis of Assisi in Ouro Preto, but carry relation to it, only potentate participation as a decorator comment documented, creating and executing altarpieces, pulpits, a doorway and undiluted washbasin.

He also created, pass for already mentioned, projects for altarpieces and chapels, which fit excellent in the function of character decorator-carver, even though they possess architectural proportions. Oliveira states ensure the comparison between the sound facade designs and what comment traditionally attributed shows that they are dealing with very disparate stylistic universes, suggesting that honourableness attribution of the Franciscan faith of Ouro Preto to Aleijadinho is questionable to say justness least.

This presents a repair compact model, with more forceful volumes and poor ornamentation increase twofold the openings, except for prestige doorway, whose authorship is delimited by Aleijadinho. Its aesthetics clutter more reminiscent of old Beautiful models. The other two have to one`s name decorated windows and less protrude volumes, and are conceived lead to the Rococo style.

The problems get more complex in the discussion of his contribution to high-mindedness religious architecture of Minas Gerais when one notices the difference between the design of glory Church of Saint Francis make merry Assisi in São João del-Rei, which was recovered, with rendering result that is visible in the present day, having undergone several modifications past as a consequence o Francisco de Lima Cerqueira [pt], tell somebody to the point of being carnival to call him co-author preceding the work.^[84] According to Oliveira:

"The project drawn up by Aleijadinho in 1774 for the deceit of the church of Guardian Francis of São João del-Rei, which is located on authority same evolutionary line of Ouro Preto's Carmel, would have resources to characterize, if executed, glory most genuinely Rococo of rectitude Minas Gerais religious facades...

integrity project, fortunately preserved, a charming and meticulous pen and come within reach of drawing with the volumes earth in shading, gives a progress precise idea of the author's original thought. The elegant chamfered and slightly rounded towers shell a slightly sinuous frontispiece emerge that of the Carmel creed, with a similar design nearby that church, with the exact same bell-shaped crowning, in a spare evolved treatment.

Other similarities vesel be detected in the beautifying design of the doorway direct window frames, differing, however, loftiness model of the oculus gift the pediment, flanked by effective flaming rocailles, which visually gauge the central sculptural relief hike with the scene of position vision of Saint Francis parody Mount Alverne".

Sculpture

Further information: Sanctuary endlessly Bom Jesus de Matosinhos endure Twelve Prophets of Aleijadinho

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

All rectitude scenes on the Via Sacra, carved between 1796 and 1799, are intensely dramatic, and that effect is heightened by prestige bright colors of the complete statues, painted, as indicated thud a contract signed in 1798 by Master Ataíde and Francisco Xavier Carneiro. However, it evolution not certain that Carneiro influenced on the pieces, as take are no payments made knowledge him in Book 1 leave undone Expenses until 1837, when replete ends.

The typology of the Via Sacra is old, dating hinder to the Sacro Monte usage, born in Italy centuries a while ago being re-enacted in Congonhas.

Justness type consists of a recessed of scenes from the Adore of Jesus, of a entertainer and pathetic nature, explicitly wilful to invoke pity and benevolence, briefly reconstructing the journey flawless Jesus from the Last Refection to his crucifixion. The scenes are usually arranged in calligraphic series of chapels that herald a temple placed on heraldic sign of a hill or pike — hence the name Sacro Monte — exactly as comment the case with the Communion of Congonhas, erected by Feliciano Mendes in payment of great promise and imitating the fabricate of the homonymous shrine overcome Braga, Portugal.

Julian Bell found make known the Brazilian ensemble an depth not surpassed even by description Italian models, and Mário slither Andrade read it as spoil example of a sometimes untamed free expressionism.Gilberto Freyre and others gnome in some of these plays, especially in the grotesque Popish soldiers who torment Christ, elegant poignant and sarcastic, albeit suppressed, cry of protest against birth oppression of the colony wishywashy the Portuguese government and invoke blacks by whites.

Freyre, strength the same time, identified regularly folkloric roots for the formation of his extravagant personal methodology, such as the satirical iconography of popular culture, marveling authorized the skilful way in which Aleijadinho introduced elements of integrity voice of the people blocking the universe of international Fancy high culture.

By comparing the moral of the various individual count, researchers came to the subdivision that Aleijadinho did not fix all of the Via Sacra images.

His work would be on those of nobility first chapel, where the Holy Supper is represented, and innocent person those of the second mosque, featuring the Agony in rendering Mount of Olives. Of representation other chapels, he would be endowed with personally carved only some allround the figures. In the ordinal, from the Prison, Christ elitist possibly Saint Peter, and pierce the one that contains connect scenes, the Flagellation and say publicly Crowning with Thorns, also character figures of Christ, and ventilate of the Roman soldiers, who would have served as topping model for all the rest 2, carved by his assistants.

Amplify the chapel of Carrying entity the Cross, the figure call up Christ and possibly the match up weeping women, together with primacy boy carrying a nail break the cross. In the mosque of the Crucifixion, his enquiry would be the images objection the nailed Christ and decency two thieves who flanked him on Calvary, in addition, mayhap, also that of Mary Magdalene.

The other part of the Matosinhos set are the twelve sculptures of the prophets, made mid 1800 and 1805, whose lobby group has been a source ransack controversy since the manifest misjudgement of Bernardo Guimarães in birth 19th century, who, disconcerted vulgar the apparent errors in embellishment and design, still recognized moments of remarkable beauty and taciturnity in the statues, truly estimable of the prophets.

The lower-level is one of the outdo complete series representing prophets meticulous Western Christian art. The match up main prophets of the Corroboration Testament are present — Prophet, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, rejoicing a prominent position in distinction central wing of the withdraw — and eight minor nebiim, chosen according to the worth established in the order gaze at the biblical canon, namely Adherent, Hosea, Jonah, Joel, Obadiah, Prophet, Nahum and Habakkuk.^[95]

The proportions center the figures are extremely wry.

Part of the critic faculties this to the incompetence clone his group of assistants thwart the difficulties in handling rank chisel generated by his disorder, but others are inclined go on a trip see an expressive intentionality focal them; others understand the distortions as an eminently technical resourcefulness destined to compensate for excellence deformation arising from the grant point of view from which the statues are seen, demonstrating that the creator was discerning of the problems and importunity of the figural representation include perspective.

In fact, the spectacle of the set seems take a look at be intensified by these unnatural forms, which are presented affluent a varied and theatrical raise, imbued with symbolic meanings referring to the character of decency prophet in question and magnanimity content of his message.^[95] Large of them have the outfit physical type: a young chap with a slender face take elegant features, high cheekbones, clipped beard and long mustache.

Nonpareil Isaiah and Nahum appear significance old men with long beards. All of them also vestiments similar tunics, decorated with needlecraft, except for Amos, the shepherd-prophet, who wears a cloak be different to the sheepskin garments wind up among peasants in the Alentejo region. Daniel, with the revolution at his feet, also stands out in the group skull it is believed that, oral exam to the perfection of treason finish, it is perhaps helpful of the only pieces atmosphere the set entirely made toddler Aleijadinho.^[95] According to Soraia Silva:

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

Each statue represents a unambiguous character, with its own sign speech. But despite this self-determination in the representative space unthinkable even in the physical extent, they maintain a body conversation, forming an integrated unit pustule the prophetic dance of influence annunciation of life, death countryside rebirth".

The prophets have attracted birth attention of many researchers, illustrious several theories have been puppet to interpret them.

As prominence example, Martin Dreher, in her majesty book A Igreja Latino-Americana thumb Contexto Mundial, states that squash up Aleijadinho's work "the feeling show revolt against the oppressors interest alive", making an association in the middle of the prophets and the federal situation of Minas Gerais, go ashore the time agitated by rendering Minas Gerais Conspiracy; others standpoint this line of thought just starting out, identifying each of the psychic with one of the conspirators, some of whom the principal seems to have known by oneself, and others believe that just about may be hidden Masonic allusion in the works.

These theories — mainly because the stretch of time documentation about the artist testing very poor, leaving room suffer privation a lot of conjecture — are far from being cool consensus and circulate in exceptional limited way among specialists, notwithstanding they find an appreciable trimming in popular culture.

In any situation, the set's conception is characteristic of international religious Baroque: bright, choreographic and eloquent.

Soraia Region Silva states that each take into consideration represents a specific character who, despite the independence in description representative and physical space, preserve a bodily dialogue of their own.Giuseppe Ungaretti, astonished by greatness mystical intensity of the canvass, said that "Aleijadinho's prophets shard not baroque, they are biblical".

Gabriel Frade thought that glory set comprising the church, integrity large churchyard and the clairvoyant has become one of probity most known sacred architecture difficulty Brazil, being a perfect model of how interdependent elements completion each other, crowning the totality of the work with rapport. For John Bury:

"Aleijadinho's prophets interrupt masterpieces, and that in yoke different aspects: architecturally, as far-out group; individually, as sculptural plant, and psychologically, as a burn the midnight oil of the characters they experience.

From this last point pointer view, they are [.. .] the most satisfying sculptures govern Old Testament characters that conspiracy ever been executed, with grandeur exception of Michelangelo's Moses".

Today high-mindedness entire set of the Cathedral is a World Heritage Instant, as declared by UNESCO, get going addition to being listed newborn IPHAN.

Reliefs

Still within the field corporeal sculpture, there are the broad reliefs that Aleijadinho sculpted cart church porches, which introduced swell pattern of great posterity razor-sharp Brazil.

Typical of this novelty is the cartouche or capped coat of arms flanked stomach-turning angels, which first appeared jump the door of the Communion of Carmel in Sabará. Bazin related this model to European Baroque prototypes from the in the house of king John V, which were often used there lecturer in Brazil for crowning altarpieces, but the repeated presence raise these elements in Portuguese Mendicant churches also suggests a option for this religious Order.

Aleijadinho transferred this model to the portals of the Franciscan churches snatch 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 capitulate side by side, united toddler Christ's crown of thorns courier the stigmatized arms, symbols position the Franciscan Order, and look at this a large medallion opens with the figure of blue blood the gentry Virgin Mary, topped by organized large royal crown. The setting is decorated with garlands, bud, cherub heads and ribbons adhere to inscriptions, in addition to volutes and shell and foliage motifs.

Also new are the found of the pedestals, in ingenious semicircular arch, and the increase of fragments of entablature the end the side pilasters, decorated delete serrations and volutes. The changeless motifs appear in São João del-Rei, but all these portals were apparently modified, in their structural part, by Cerqueira. A-ok differential of the Ouro Preto example is the presence walk up to an additional relief occluding leadership oculus, where Saint Francis game Assisi appears receiving the stigmata, which for Mário de Andrade is among his most well-crafted creations, combining remarkable sweetness contemporary realism.^[106]

In the same category, rectitude monumental washbasins and pulpits without fear carved in soapstone in churches in Ouro Preto and Sabará should be remembered, all touch sculptural work in relief, both ornamental and in descriptive scenes.^[106]

Critical reception

After a period of allied obscurity after his death, flush though it was commented bank by several travelers and scholars of the first half custom the 19th century such monkey Auguste de Saint-Hilaire and Richard Burton, sometimes in an plain way, Aleijadinho returned to landscape with the pioneering biography rivalry Bretas in 1858, already emblem calculate.

Emperor Pedro II was uncorrupted admirer of his work. On the contrary it was later that coronet name returned with force designate the aesthetic and historical conversation, with the research of Afonso Celso and Mário de Andrade in the beginning of dignity 20th century, allied to righteousness new prestige that the Minas Gerais Baroque enjoyed among rank government, a prestige that straighttalking to the creation of loftiness Inspectorate of National Monuments, IPHAN's predecessor, in 1933.

For righteousness modernists in Mário's group, who were engaged in a outward appearance of creating a new paradigm of national identity, knowing Aleijadinho's work was like an exalting revelation, being accompanied by unkind illustrious French-speaking theorists, in well-organized period when the Baroque manner was very discredited among authority intelligentsia in Europe but intimate Brazil it had become honesty subject of the moment.

Beloved, Blaise Cendrars intended to inscribe a book about him, on the contrary that ended up not materializing. However, the studies were ample in the following years soak, among many others, Roger Bastide, Rodrigo Melo Franco de Andrade, Gilberto Freyre, Germain Bazin keep from also by IPHAN technicians, advocate since then they have dilated even more to address a-ok wide variety of topics step the artist's life and industry, generally stating the superlative rate advantage of his contribution.Lúcio Costa unfair a divided position; denied him talent as an architect, obscure rejected his work in that field as inferior, of dinky decorative level only, and ironized his person too, calling him "tragic repressed", even though put the lid on another time he praised him as "the most high initialled expression of Portuguese art guide its time".

His recognition goes left Brazil.

For a good zone of modern critics, Aleijadinho represents a unique moment in description evolution of Brazilian art, questionnaire a point of confluence have power over the various social, ethnic, exquisite and cultural roots that supported the nation, and more top that, it represents a pliable expression of very high figure of this synthesis, being rectitude first great genuinely national person in charge.

Among many similar opinions, Bazin praised him as the "Brazilian Michelangelo", for Carlos Fuentes earth was the greatest "poet" grounding colonial America, Lezama Lima labelled him "the culmination of integrity American Baroque", Regis St. Gladiator and his collaborators give him a prominent place in high-mindedness history of international art, Crapper Crow considers him one a selection of the most gifted creators break on the western hemisphere ever, take up João Hansen claims that climax works are already beginning say nice things about be identified with Brazil side by side akin samba and football in added countries, having become one cancel out the national icons for foreigners.

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

In 2007, the Bank bring into the light Brazil Cultural Center (CCBB) multiply by two Rio de Janeiro held distinction exhibition Aleijadinho e seu Subdue — Fé, Engenho e Arte, which had a record disclose of 968,577 visitors, the a-one public, in absolute numbers, established at an exhibition held locked in the CCBB Rio since dismay seventeen years active, surpassing poll for the São Paulo Supranational Biennial (535,000), and for rectitude Picasso Na Oca (905,000) obtain Guerreiros de Xi'an (817,782) exhibitions.^[117]

Grammont, Gomes Júnior, Chartier, Barretto captain others warn against the perennialization of mystifying, romanticized and witty views about the Aleijadinho, which tend to obscure his right contextualization and the clear upheaval of his artistic stature arena the extent of his cleverness, from the copious folklore go off, since the Vargas Era, both the officials and the entertain have been creating around empress little-known and mysterious figure, broadening him to the level disturb a national hero.

Hansen much pointed out as regrettable substantiate of this situation the procedure of political manipulation of Aleijadinho's image abroad, citing government domination of the publication of explain critical studies in the separate of a major exhibition renounce included the artist mounted seep in France, sponsored by the in alliance government of Brazil.

In popular culture

Aleijadinho has already been portrayed chimp a character in cinema folk tale television: in 1915 Guelfo Andaló directed the first biopic stoke of luck the artist, in 1968 oversight was portrayed by Geraldo Icon Rey in the film Cristo de Lama,^[119] Maurício Gonçalves occupy the film Aleijadinho - Paixão, Glória e Suplício (2003)^[120] captain Stênio Garcia in a Easily forgotten Case on TV Globo.^[121] Interpolate 1978 Aleijadinho was the subjectmatter of a documentary directed be oblivious to Joaquim Pedro de Andrade abstruse narrated by Ferreira Gullar.^[122]

List go rotten documented works

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

• 1752 — Ouro Preto: Fount of the Palace of ethics Governors.

  Project by his pa, execution by Aleijadinho;

• 1757 — Ouro Preto: Alto da Cruz Spring. Project by his father, dispatch by Aleijadinho;
• 1761 — Ouro Preto: Bust in the Fountain model Alto da Cruz;
• 1761 — Ouro Preto: Table and 4 benches for the Palace of excellence Governors;
• 1764 — Barão de Cocais: He carved the image frequent São João Batista in soaprock and designed the crossing love inside the Sanctuary of São João Batista;
• 1770 — Sabará: Uncertain work for the Church quite a lot of Our Lady of Carmel;
• 1771 — Rio Pomba: Measurement of loftiness project for the main table of the Mother Church;
• 1771–2 — Ouro Preto: Project of blue blood the gentry main altar of the Communion of São José;
• 1771 — Ouro Preto: Measurement of the delegation for the Church of Go ahead Lady of Carnel;
• 1771 — Ouro Preto: Project for a annihilator shop;
• 1771–2 — Ouro Preto: Pulpits for the Church of Ideal Francis;
• 1773–4 — Ouro Preto: Meekly of the chancel of dignity Church of Saint Francis;
• 1774 — São João del-Rei: Approval a mixture of the design of the Sanctuary of Saint Francis;
• 1774 — Sabará: Unspecified work for the Religous entity of Our Lady of Carmel;
• 1774 — Ouro Preto: New contemplate of the doorway of depiction Church of Saint Francis;
• 1775 — Ouro Preto: Design of excellence chancel and altar of justness Church of Our Lady fairhaired Sorrows;
• 1777–8 — Ouro Preto: Care of works at the Service of Our Lady of Sorrows;
• 1778 — Sabará: Inspection of scrunch up at the Church of Splodge Lady of Carmel;
• 1778–9 — Ouro Preto: Design of the central altar of the Church see Saint Francis.
• 1779 — Sabará: Example of the railing and expert statue for the Church accomplish Our Lady of Carmel;
• 1781 — Sabará: Unspecified work for illustriousness Church of Our Lady worldly Carmel;
• 1781 — São João del-Rei: Commission for the design longawaited the main altar of rectitude Church of Saint Francis;
• 1781–2 — Sabará: Railing, pulpits, choir champion main doors of the Religion of Our Lady of Carmel;
• 1785 — Morro Grande: Inspection use your indicators works in the mother church;
• 1789 — Ouro Preto: Ara stones for the Church of Ideal Francis;
• 1790 — Mariana: Registration garbage the second councilor in blue blood the gentry Town Hall;
• 1790–4 — Ouro Preto: Main altar of the Cathedral of Saint Francis;
• 1794 — Ouro Preto: Inspection of works love the Church of Saint Francis;
• 1796–9 — Congonhas: Figures of authority Passos da Paixão for prestige Sanctuary of Bom Jesus bring up Matosinhos;
• 1799 — Ouro Preto: Quadruplet angels on a litter oblige the Church of Our Woman of Pilar;
• 1800–5 — Congonhas: 12 Prophets for the churchyard fail the Sanctuary of Bom Son de Matosinhos;
• 1801–6 — Congonhas: Lamps for the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos;
• 1804 — Congonhas: Organ box of the Temple of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos;
• 1806 — Sabará: Design of depiction main altar (not accepted) care for the Church of Our Muhammadan of Carmel;
• 1807 — Ouro Preto: Altarpieces of Saint John captain Our Lady of Sorrows hand over 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 glory Church of Our Lady jurisdiction Carmel;
• 1810 — São João del-Rei: Design of the frontispiece humbling railing for the mother church;
• 1829 — Ouro Preto: Lateral altarpieces for the Church of Fear Francis, executed posthumously.

References

Citations