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HowtheslavetradeshapedtheBaroque
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Bethefirsttocomment!
AsCatholicismspreadacrossthecolonies,slavesandfreedmen
createdauniquelyBrazilianstyle
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ByEmanoelAraujo.Focus,Issue260,September2014
Publishedonline:02September2014
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Conservatorsproveanunlikelygatewaytomore
museumloans
Spareusthesocalledexpertsandcallforthe
connoisseurs
OldMasterdealersfeelthepressure
Brightyoungthingswhowanttosellyouolderart
Fairwadesdeeperintocontemporarywaters
Mostread(week)
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DidMarcelDuchampstealElsasurinal?
IceAgeLionManisworldsearliestfigurative
sculpture
BritishMuseumsNeilMacGregorwillretireonahigh
Artists'studiostoopeninNewsInternationalsformer
home
FranciscodasChagass18thcenturyworkSenhorMorto(thedeadChrist)
TheBaroquemovementthatspreadacrossthePortugueseandSpanish
colonieshasbeenimportanttotheCatholichegemonyoftheNewWorld
since1500.Theimageofthecrosswasusedasapowerfulsymbolof
evangelisationsothattheworkoftheJesuits,Benedictines,Franciscans
andotherreligiousbrotherhoodsandthirdorderscouldaddEuropean
menandwomen,IndiansandAfricanstotheChristianfaiththat
developedasthegluebindinganeweraduringthe17thand18th
centuriesinBrazil.
WildandtropicalBrazilwastheidealenvironmentforanewaesthetic,
whichwasmadearealitythroughtheforceofthecolonisersandthrough
slavesfromWestandCentralAfrica,whooverflowedfromthecountrys
sugarmillstothegoldanddiamondminesofMinasGeraisstate.
Gold,frankincenseandmyrrh
Blackandmixedraceslavesandfreedmenwerefundamentalinthe
buildingofoneoftherichestperiodsinBrazilianart.Inthemidstofmany
disgraces,theirvisionshowstheimpactofmiscegenationinthecultureof
henationalBaroque.
TheBaroqueidealmeantthetransformationincurvesofthetenetsof
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HowtheslavetradeshapedtheBaroqueTheArtNewspaper
Classicalart.Itwasthegreatspectacleoftheformsofnaturemixedwith
astronglyangledgeometryingoldandwhitemarble.Darkwoodwasput
ogetherwithlargepanelsofPortuguesebluetilesceilingswerepainted
withillusionistpaintingsagainstasensorybackdropoffrankincense,
myrrhandorganmusic.
BraziliangoldreachedPortugalintonnes,whilethefewbarsremaining
adornedthecarvingsofthealtarsofhundredsofchurches,cathedrals
andmonasteriesacrossthecountry.Artists,gilders,sculptors,
woodcarvers,goldsmithsandsilversmiths,cabinetmakers,carpentersand
masonstransformedhumblechapelsoframmedearth(taipa),madeof
wattleanddaub(pauapique),intomonumentalchurches,conventsand
cathedralswithinteriorscoveredinpuregoldandsterlingsilver
devotions.
Muchofthisworkwasdonebyblackandmixedraceslavesand
reedmen,despiterestrictionssuchasadecreebanningAfricanand
AfricanBraziliangoldsmithsin1621.Thisculminatedingoldsmithsstalls
beingsmashedinRiodeJaneiroandBahiain1766,althoughthereare
someexamplesofthesedecreesbeingdismissed.
Certainartisticfiguresstandout,suchasManueldaCunha(17371809),
aslavewhoboughthisfreedom,studiedinPortugalandcamebackto
Brazilwithresponsibilityforpubliceducationindrawing.Hepaintedthe
extraordinarychurchofStFrancisofPaolainRiodeJaneiro,alongwith
otherartistsfromtheRioSchoolofpainting,notablyManuelDiasde
Oliveira(17641837)andRaimundodaCostaeSilva(datesunknown).
MajorartistsfromRioincludeLeandroJoaquim(around1738around
1798),FranciscoXavierdasConchas(17391804)andthegreat
ValentimdaFonsecaeSilva(around17451813),whosesculptures
stoodinthechurchesofthethirdorderofCarmel.Valentimwasaclose
riendoftheViceroyLuisdeVasconcelos,whocommissionedhimto
designworkscollectivelyknownastheLoveFountainsforRiosPasseio
Pblico,theoldestpublicparkinBrazil.Thesewereaccompaniedby
bronzesculpturesthefirsttobecastinthecity.
Thelittlecripple
AntnioFranciscoLisboa(1730or17381814),alsoknownas
Aleijadinho(littlecripple),wasborninVilaRica,inMinasGerais.The
workofthisgreatsculptorandarchitectspansmanyofthestatescities,
suchasOuroPreto,CongonhasdoCampoandSabar,andhiscarved
soapstonefacadesarethemasterpiecesofchurchesincludingStFrancis
ofAssisiandOurLadyofMountCarmel.
Attheendofthe18thcentury,hebeganthecedarsculpturesCapelados
Passos(chapelsofthestationsofthecross)andSanturiodoBom
JesusdeMatosinhosinCongonhasdoCampooneofthegreatest
expressionsofhisartisticcreativity.
Equallyimportantisthe18thcenturyBahiansculptorFranciscodas
Chagas(datesunknown),nicknamedOCabra(thegoat),whosework
SenhorMorto(thedeadChrist)isstuddedwithrubieslikedropsofblood.
AlsofromBahiawasJosTophilodeJesus(17581847),whocreated
helargewallpaintingsandceilingofthechurchofPilarandSan
Joaquin,whiletheblackpainterFatherJesunodeMonteCarmelo(1764
1819),inthecityofItuinSoPaulostate,workedontheceilingofOur
LadyofMountCarmelchurch.
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