Friar Agostinho de Jesus (c. 1600/10-1661): a benedictine artist on the border between two worlds – the Portuguese and Spanish America

Abstract

At the Piratininga plateau, São Paulo, Brazil, the first social relationships have been born through marriages between Tupis and Portugueses. The opposite of the secular Paraguayan society, made up of Spanish and Guaranis. These relationships, turned into a mix of cultures resulting in an idea of backwoods: miscegenation and freedom, ran away from Iberic control. The pioneers from São Paulo, “paulistas”, used the old indigenas ways, looking for wealth. They returned to the silver of Potosi, bringing their experience and missionary labor. Through the middle of the way, in Santana de Parnaíba, was friar Agostinho de Jesus, the first, and most important Brazilian artist. From 1643, friar Agostinho living with the Benedictines transformed the culture of Brazil, into a significant moment of national art. In Parnaíba, the master found an original and mixed society, creating masterpieces, standarts of sacred art in São Paulo, birth of national identity.