Church of Saint Francis of Assisi (Ouro Preto)

The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi (

Due to its architecture and historical significance regarding eighteenth-century gold mining, the church is classified on the UNESCO World Heritage List.^[2] It is one of the Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World.

Architect

Antônio Francisco Lisboa was a Brazilian sculptor and architect in the eighteenth-century. His work primarily consists of Catholic churches and sculptures of religious figures. Born in 1738 as the

Congonhas do Campo and the Twelve Prophets (Twelve Prophets of Aleijadinho) with many other doors, alters, facades, and chapels in the region.^[6]

Both Lisboa and Minas Gerais are known for their Rococo architecture. This architectural style is highly ornate and commonly found in churches built in the eighteenth century, with varying stylistic differences depending on influence of different European countries.^[8] Along with these elaborately detailed structures are often baroque paintings and sculptures.^[9] As explained by Monika Kaup (Ph.D., Ruhr University, 1991), "the delirious baroque effect is achieved by letting ornamentation run riot on interior walls, retablos, and facades."^[9]

The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi adheres to common Rococo elements, as Lisboa included

The Church of São Francisco de Assis is located in the city of Ouro Preto in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Ouro Preto is a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site and cited as an example of baroque architecture.^[10][11] This well-preserved colonial Portuguese architecture, including that of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi and the artwork inside of the church, are examples of the baroque revival style (also known as rococo or late baroque).^[12]

Ouro Preto has a rich history as a major mining town in colonial Brazil, which played an important role in the colonial economy. The architectural style, with its intricate designs and heavy use of gold, draws from the city’s history and wealth gained from gold mining in the eighteenth century.^[13] As art historian Robert C. Smith notes, Brazil did not have the same extent of indigenous influence on architecture as other Latin American countries. Instead Brazilian colonial architecture, particularly in Minas Gerais, is significantly more Portuguese in stylistic influence than that of a synthetic Indigenous-European style. This engages with the conversation about the implications of colonizer influence as evident through colonial architecture.^[14] This style of architecture, and its connection to the colonial economy, was supported by the Church.

As the ethnomusicologist Suzel Ana Reily argues,

"In Latin America...the realm of the baroque was most spectacularly represented within the religious sphere. Indeed the baroque ideals were greatly encouraged by the church, particularly through the activities of the

Jesuits (Barbosa 1978, 10) in an effort to curtail the expansion of Protestantism in the Iberian colonial strongholds. With the discovery of gold in what is now the state of Minas Gerais in the late 17th century, there was also considerable wealth, which significantly enhanced the baroque orientation towards ostentation. Much of this wealth was invested in the construction and decoration of churches as well as in the production of grand religious festivals with magnificent processions and ceremonious sung masses."^[15]

The church in former mining towns in southern Brazil is the center of Holy Week celebrations. As social anthropologist Suzel Ana Reily (Ph.D., University of São Paulo) notes in her research on the baroque era and local identity:

"In Campanha, as in other former mining towns in the region such as Ouro Preto,

São João del-Rey, Prados, Lavras, Baependi and a number of others, Holy Week is the main event on the annual religious calendar. It is enacted following a highly theatrical, ‘baroque’ template that developed during the colonial period and it is propelled by a choral repertoire that centers upon the works of major colonial composers...Through the festivities the population of the town is transported back to the gold mining era, a glorious age of considerable wealth, and the power of these experiences has been central in defining local identity in terms of the legacy of gold."^[15]

Reily shows how this convergence of historical consciousness and religiosity, through processions and celebration, renews local visions of economic prosperity. Holy Week celebrations continue through today, with thousands of people participating in the processions, music, and elaborate decoration of the city.^[16][17]