Collaborate
Church of Saint Joseph (Imperial Chapel of Saint Joseph)
Ouro Preto, Vila Rica, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Religious Architecture
The Brotherhood of Saint Joseph of the Happily Married – the saint who protected artisans and the sacrament of holy matrimony – was composed of mulatto men and women, generally linked to the liberal professions and technical work. It incorporated important musicians such as Ignácio Parreira Neves and Father António de Souza Lobo, among others. Initially, the brethren met at the Parish Church of Our Lady of the Conception in António Dias. Although the formal establishment of the brotherhood did not take place until 1730, it had already had its own chapel since 1726, which was built within the parish of Pilar. Made of wood and clay, it was already in an extremely dilapidated state by 1744. In the same year, the brethren, taking “their poverty” into account, sent a petition to King João V requesting permission to appoint a chaplain to “ask for donations at all the mines” for ten years and to place in Vila Rica “a brother with the image of the patron saint around his neck on Wednesdays”. The design of the chapel was commissioned from Francisco Branco de Barros Barriga and its construction was initially entrusted to José Pereira dos Santos (from 1753 to 1759, when the nave was finished) and then to António Rodrigues Falcato (responsible for the stone works of the chancel and sacristy, 1760-1764). The chapel was consecrated in 1761, although it had not yet been completely finished. In 1772, António Francisco Lisboa, (who then became a member of the brotherhood), was hired to design the two towers, but the project was later altered: the brotherhood’s committee decided upon just a single central tower in 1799. Master Aleijadinho was also entrusted with the design of the main altarpiece, which was made by the woodcarver Lourenço Rodrigues de Souza (1775-1778). The chancel’s paintings (scenes from the life of David) were made by the mulatto Manuel Ribeiro Rosa (1779-1783). The frontispiece was built between 1801 and 1828 by Miguel Moreira and José Veloso Carmo, in keeping with the design produced by João Machado de Sousa. The most original element in the façade is the round terrace at the level of the choir with a soapstone balustrade, from which the tower rises up. The building was subjected to several phases of conservation work throughout the 19th century. After being listed by IPHAN (1939), it was remodelled on various occasions.
Cláudia Damasceno Fonseca