Vatican Museums

The exhibition "Antônio Francisco Lisboa, known as Aleijadinho. The master of Brazilian baroque", open to the public from 18 November 2026 and curated by Alex Calheiros, brings together at the Vatican Museums three sculptures by Antônio Francisco Lisboa, known as Aleijadinho (1738–1814), one of the leading figures in Brazilian art. As part of the celebrations for the Bicentenary of Diplomatic Relations between Brazil and the Holy See, the exhibition presents Saint Anne the Teacher, Saint Joachim and Saint Manuel, all dating from the eighteenth century, which will leave Brazil for the first time. The exhibition will remain open until 13 February 2027, in the Rooms of the Borgia Tower of the Vatican Museums.

The sculptures on display are representative of Aleijadinho’s mature phase, and highlight the expressiveness of the figures and the combination of Baroque and Rococo elements. Saint Anne the Teacher depicts the saint while she teaches the basics of reading to her daughter Mary; Saint Joachim presents Jesus’ grandfather in old age, with a staff in his hand; and Saint Manuel reveals a lesser-known iconography, characterised by the signs of his martyrdom.
The works remain connected to the religious life of the communities responsible for their care. Saint Anne the Teacher belongs to the Chapel of Saint Anne, in the community of Chapada, Ouro Preto, in the Archdiocese of Mariana. Saint Joachim and Saint Manuel belong, respectively, to the parishes of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, in Raposos, and Nossa Senhora do Bom Sucesso, in Caeté, both part of the Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte. The two Archdioceses have provided the sculptures on loan.

The presentation is complemented by photographs by Marcel Gautherot, courtesy of the Instituto Moreira Salles (IMS), which depict the artist’s work in wood and soapstone and his relationship with the architecture and landscape of Minas Gerais. The exhibition will also include an audiovisual record of the feast in honour of Saint Anne, linking the works to the religious practices preserved by the communities and highlighting the richness of the manifestations of Brazil’s intangible cultural heritage.

The initiative forms part of the commemorative programme organized by the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Brazilian Embassy to the Holy See and the Instituto Guimarães Rosa (IGR), in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, the Governorate of Vatican City State, the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See and the Vatican Museums.
APPA – Cultura & Patrimônio is the organisation proposing and implementing the project, which benefits from sponsorship by Stellantis under the Federal Law on Cultural Incentives, co-organisation by the Casa Fiat de Cultura, and support from IPHAN, the Archdioceses of Mariana and Belo Horizonte, and the Instituto Moreira Salles.