Aleijadinho Candlestick
On View In:
Gallery 330
Artist:   Fernando Campana
Humberto Campana  
Title:   Aleijadinho Candlestick  
Date:   2011  
Medium:   Gilt bronze, Carrara marble  
Dimensions:   29 1/2 x 18 1/4 x 8 3/16 in. (74.93 x 20.96 x 20.8 cm)  
Credit Line:   The Shared Fund  
Location:   Gallery 330  

The Brazilian Campana Brothers are among the foremost designers active today. Many of their works feature aspects of Baroque design informed by the visual culture of their native Brazil. The Aleijadinho Candlestick is part of their Brazilian Baroque Collection, created in collaboration with local craftsmen during several visits to Rome, in 2011. The title pays homage to the famous protagonist of late 18th century Brazilian Baroque architecture and sculpture, Antonio Francisco Lisboa, better known as o Aleijadinho or "little cripple." The Campana Brothers' practice of taking casts of small, often everyday objects, and fusing them together to form small personal "collections", may be interpreted as a reference to Latin and African American traditions of applying small found objects to the surface of decorative arts objects as a memorial gesture.

Artist/Creator(s)     
Name:   Campana, Fernando  
Role:   Designer  
Nationality:   Brazilian  
Life Dates:   Brazilian, born 1961  
 
Name:   Campana, Humberto  
Role:   Designer  
Nationality:   Brazilian  
Life Dates:   Brazilian, born 1953  
 

Object Description  
  
Inscriptions:   Inscription on bottom of b, incised: [IV]  
Classification:   Metalwork  
Physical Description:   base made up of parts of gilt metal sculptures attached together in a surreal fashion: human, animal and bird feet, dolphins, horse head, human figures and body parts, key, scrolls, bird's head, tiny grate section; top wishbone-shaped element made of white marble with grey veins, with two candle cups  
Creation Place:   Europe, Italy, , ,  
Accession #:   2011.56a,b  
Owner:   The Minneapolis Institute of Arts