Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Front of the monument from the ground
Niederwald Monument
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Tsum Valley
Punk monument of Visací zámek.
Punk Monument
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The Big Well
This Kansas Town Advertised the World’s Largest Well. It Wasn’t.
28 minutes ago
Rats didn’t take over the city by being foolhardy.
Do New York City Rats Deserve Their Bad Rap?
1 day ago
The Secret Gardens Saving the World’s Rarest Plants
1 day ago
Solo travel can be challenging and sometimes lonely, but it also often leads to the greatest adventures.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Unplug on a Solo Trip?
2 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Brazil Ouro Preto Museu do Aleijadinho

Museu do Aleijadinho

A display of works by one of the world masters sacred art, an 18th-century Brazilian sculptor nicknamed "the little cripple."

Ouro Preto, Brazil

Added By
Sofia Perpetua
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Christ carrying the cross - Aleijadinho   Ricardo André Frantz/CC BY 3.0
Christ carrying the cross - Aleijadinho   Ricardo André Frantz/CC BY 3.0
Painting on the ceiling of the main chapel of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos.   Bernardo Pires da Silva/Public Domain
Igreja de São Francisco de Assis   Ricardo André Frantz / CC BY 3.0
View of Ouro Preto   Bruno Girin/CC BY-SA 2.0
The Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos.   Ricardo André Frantz/CC BY 3.0
The Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos.   Ricardo André Frantz/CC BY 3.0
Crucifixion of Jesus by Aleijadinho   Ricardo André Frantz/CC BY-SA 4.0
  http://www.wikiwand.com/pt/Aleijadinho
Prophet Isaiah - Aleijadinho   Ricardo André Frantz/CC BY 3.0
Anjo, Santuário de Matosinhos, Brazil - Aleijadinho   Public Domain
Christ, Matosinhos Shrine - Aleijadinho   Public Domain
Jesus is mocked - Aleijadinho   Ricardo André Frantz/CC BY-SA 4.0
Main chapel of Church of St Francisco, Brazil   Alexandre Machado/CC BY 2.0
Painting of artist Antônio Francisco Lisboa (Aleijadinho), by Euclásio Ventura.   Public Domain
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Sacred art will gain a whole new meaning when you have the chance to experience the work of Aleijadinho, a master baroque sculptor and icon of Brazilian art. Despite losing the use of his fingers, Aleijadinho’s paintings, statues, carvings, and sculptures are works of mastery and wonder, a testimony to the power of will and devotion. 

The 18th-century artist was born Antonio Francisco Lisboa, but is better known by his nickname, "Aleijadinho," Portuguese for "little cripple." It's believed Aleijadinho suffered from a degenerated disease that caused the deformation of his limbs and even the loss his fingers. Yet he continued sculpting with a chisel and hammer tied to his fingerless hands, working often with great suffering and pain.

According to a biography of the artist (which has been criticized for being dramatized), Aleijadinho continued to work intensely even as the disease progressed. He worked on the design and construction of churches, on the life-size statues outside, and on the outstanding painted ceilings and the paintings within. Aleijadinho became a master in his own right by giving life to wood and stone with creative representations from the Bible, as he mixed many styles of baroque and explored rococo and even classic and gothic elements in his work.

Museu Aleijadinho, housed in the Church of Our Lady of the Conception (Nossa Senhora da Conceição) in Ouro Preto, an old colonial town in Brazil, contains many examples of his sacred art. His work can also be seen at three historical churches in the center of Ouro Preto, such as the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos, which was recognized by UNESCO in 1985 as one of the world’s prime examples of baroque art.

Related Tags

Art Religion Architecture Paintings Sculptures Churches Sacred Spaces

Know Before You Go

Entrance to the museum is about 3 USD.

Community Contributors

Added By

Sofia Perpetua

Edited By

dougmoreira, Meg

  • dougmoreira
  • Meg

Published

December 20, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleijadinho
  • http://paroquiaconceicaoop.com.br/museu/
Museu do Aleijadinho
R. Ouro Preto, 179 - Praça de Antônio Dias
Ouro Preto
Brazil
-20.362501, -43.71003
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Maned Wolves of Santuário do Caraça

Catas Altas, Brazil

miles away

Rua do Amendoim (Peanut Street)

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

miles away

Inhotim Museum

Brumadinho, Brazil

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Brazil

Brazil

South America

Places 143
Stories 44

Nearby Places

Maned Wolves of Santuário do Caraça

Catas Altas, Brazil

miles away

Rua do Amendoim (Peanut Street)

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

miles away

Inhotim Museum

Brumadinho, Brazil

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Brazil

Brazil

South America

Places 143
Stories 44

Related Places

  • Chiesa della Beata Vergine del Soccorso detta “La Rotonda”

    Rovigo, Italy

    La Rotonda

    A rare example of an octagonal Catholic church.

  • Part of the fresco.

    Beram, Croatia

    Svetište Sv. Marije na Škriljinah (The Sanctuary of St. Mary of the Rocks)

    Inside this small chapel tucked away in the forest is one of the most well-preserved Danse Macabre frescos.

  • Bald-headed Jesus fresco

    Rsovci, Serbia

    Bald Jesus Fresco

    This fresco inside a Serbian cave church has been a source of disagreement.

  • The abbey entrance.

    Valence-sur-Baïse, France

    Flaran Abbey

    A treasure trove of fine art is hiding inside this small medieval abbey in Gascony.

  • Captain Cook, Hawaii

    The Painted Church

    A priest with no formal artistic training used basic house paint to create gorgeous religious scenes inside this historic church.

  • Main nave of Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús.

    Quito, Ecuador

    Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús

    It took 160 years to complete the most ornate church in Ecuador.

  • The interior.

    Palermo, Italy

    The Martorana

    This mosaic-lined medieval church was built by the world's first admiral and still holds mass in ancient Greek.

  • “The Tree of Life’ in Segovia Cathedral.

    Segovia, Spain

    Allegory of 'The Tree of Life'

    A curious memento mori hangs in the magnificent Cathedral of Segovia.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.