Aleijadinho, the Great Brazilian Baroque Artist

Are Masterworks Attributed to Aleijadinho Fact or Fiction?

Nov 5, 2009

Aleijadinho developed a distinctive form of Brazilian baroque art in the eighteenth century. His masterworks are found in the colonial cities of Minas Gerais.

Antonio Franscisco Lisboa, known as Aleijadinho ("little cripple" in Portuguese) was born in the colonial city of Ouro Preto around 1730. His father was a carpenter and architect, providing an environment for Aleijadinho to learn sculpture and architecture.

The Masterpieces of Aleijadinho

Aleijadinho was a self-taught artist who learned through books and pictures. He developed an distinctive Brazilian style to European Baroque and Rococo traditions called "Barroco Mineiro." He used only native materials such as soapstone or wood in his work.

Aleijadinho's architectural masterpiece is found in the church of Sao Francisco de Assis in Ouro Preto. His design shows an effective blending of straight and curved elements. Details are found in Novelguide. Other works by Aleijadinho can be found in Sao Joao del Rei, Sabara, and Congonhas do Campo. Aleijadinho's sculpture includes pulpits, portals, balconies, altars, statues, processional images, and caryatids.

His sculptural masterpieces are found on the grounds of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Matozinho in the town of Congonhas do Campo. In the grounds of the Sanctuary are six pavilions, each containing a scene from the Passion of Christ. The 66 life-sized figures were carved in wood. On the stairway and courtyard of the Sanctuary is Aleijadinho's crowning achievement- the Twelve Prophets carved in soapstone.

Although his earlier works gave a feeling of balance, serenity, and harmony, the Prophets have a Gothic and expressionistic feel. The interior of the Sanctuary is characterized by Italian Rococo style. The Sanctuary and grounds have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Enigma of Aleijadinho

Legend has it that Aleijadinho contracted syphilis early in life which was so debilitating that he lost the use of his hands and feet. To complete work on the Prophets, he had his assistants strap his hammer and chisel to what remained of his hands. Some Brazilian historians now believe that the story is a myth invented by the writer Rodrigo Bretas, since no earlier references to Aleijadinho have been found.

MIT's Architecture Department provided an essay on the role of architect as a proponent of societal and cultural progress of a nation. When populist dictator Getulio Vargas came into power in the 1930's he formed the Ministry of Culture, Education and Health. The ministry's mission was to secure the nation's social and cultural future, and an important way to do this was to identify past cultural treasures as distinctly Brazilian.

Lucio Costa's republication of Bretas's 1840 book on Aleijadinho was important in this regard. Aleijadinho was of mixed race and poor, but was able to transcend the physical limitations of his body for a higher cause. This allegory provided a role model for a new multi-racial industrial class that could empathize with Aleijadinho and his work. In "Brazilian Architecture," Costa links the work of the modern Brazilian architect, Oscar Niemeyer, to Aleijadinho and Brazilian modernism to the Baroque.

Aleijadinho and Brazilian Architecture

Whether the story of Aleijadinho is true or myth, the works attributed to him place the unique accomplishments of Brazilian architecture and sculpture on a solid foundation.

The copyright of the article Aleijadinho, the Great Brazilian Baroque Artist in Painting/Drawing is owned by David Olle. Permission to republish Aleijadinho, the Great Brazilian Baroque Artist in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.