Sacred art in Brazil

In Brazil, sacred art has been present since the colonial period. The Baroque and Rococo styles stood out the most in this sense.

The artist Antônio Francisco Lisboa, called Aleijadinho (1730-1814), is the best known of the period.

The characteristics of his work are simplicity, the dynamic way of representing biblical scenes and his own style of working with colors.

His works consist of sculptures in wood and soapstone, as well as church facades and altars.

In painting, the artist Manoel da Costa Athaide (1762-1830) stood out. He carried out several works, one of the most significant can be found on the ceiling of the Church of the Third Order of São Francisco de Assis da Penitência, in the city of Ouro Preto, in Minas Gerais, and was painted at the beginning of the 19th century

In Brazil there is a museum specializing in sacred art, the Museu de Arte Sacra, located in the city of São Paulo. Founded in 1970, the institution has a varied collection, being one of the most significant in Latin America.