The Matriz of Catas Altas,Minas Gerais,Brazil: techniques,materials and style |
| |
| Abstract: | AbstractThe region of gold deposits in Brazil was discovered by pioneers at the end of the seventeenth century. The richness and the demographic explosion of the new General Mines region (Minas Gerais) gave rise to strong Portuguese political control: religious orders and missionary activities were forbidden there. Consequently, Minas Gerais saw the development of Third Orders and brotherhoods of laymen. The competition between the various religious groups prompted the construction of many churches, the richness of their interior decoration based on the baroque aesthetic. The mother church of Nos sa Senhora da Conceição in Catas Altas is a magnificent example of the contribution of both the Portuguese and the indigenous people to the construction of artistic monuments. The church dates from 1738 and the architectural construction is complete but the internal decoration remains unfinished. This made it possible to study the techniques and materials used. In the areas where the ground has been applied but no polychromy, there is a first layer of kaolin followed by a gesso layer. This unusual technique may have been prompted by economy: kaolin is a mineral easily found in the metallurgical zone of Minas Gerais. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
|
|
