We, the people of Minas Gerais, were wrong to call him "Aleijadinho". This is ableism today, at the time no one had any idea of it.
The Twelve Prophets is a set of soapstone sculptures made between 1800 and 1805 by the artist Antônio Francisco Lisboa, located in the churchyard of the Bom Jesus de Matosinhos Sanctuary, in the municipality of Congonhas.
From left to right:
Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Baruch, Isaiah, Daniel, Jeremiah, Hosea, Ezekiel, Joel, Habakkuk and Nahum
Isaiah
Prophet of the Old Testament - The true expression of an enlightened man before a vision, constituting one of the most important pieces of the entire architectural ensemble. The expression of Isaiah's head is none other than that created by the genius of Minas Gerais
Jeremiah
Prophet Jeremiah, author of the second of the prophetic books in the order of the Biblical Canon.
Ezekiel
Ezekiel is also known as the "prophet of exile", because he was banished to Babylon with the people of Israel.
Daniel
A haughty and distant expression, typical of a hero aware of his strength. The laurel wreath that decorates the mitre on his head accentuates this aspect and is a clear allusion to the victory over the lions.
The sculpture was made between 1800 and 1805.
Hosea
Hosea wears a short coat, buttoned from the collar to the hem and fastened at the waist with a sash. His head is covered by a cap. He wears ankle boots and holds a pen in his right hand, the tip of which, resting on the hem of his cloak, represents the attitude of someone who is writing.
Baruch
Although he is not part of the series of Old Testament prophets, Baruch's inclusion in the Congonhas statuary ensemble is justified by his prominence in the order of the biblical Canon. Baruch holds in his hands a parchment whose citation is a summary of several passages from his prophecies.
Joel
The physiognomy of the sculpture is that of a virile character, with a beard and moustache in Byzantine-style rolls.
Abdias
Abdias's physiognomy is that of a beardless young man, his much slimmer proportions giving the impression of greater youth. Abdias wears a tunic and cloak like the apostles at the supper, complemented only by a simple cap, but the arrangement of the folds is very well organized in an erudite play of light and shadow.
Amos
Amos is completely different from the other prophets in the group, and this difference is noticeable both in his physical appearance and in his clothing. His broad, beardless face has a calm, almost good-natured expression, as befits a country man. His clothing is in keeping with his condition as a shepherd. Amos is dressed in a kind of coat trimmed with sheepskin and has a cap on his head, similar to the one worn by Portuguese peasants in the region today.
Jonas
His physiognomy has distinct features, such as a half-open mouth with visible teeth and his head turned upwards. Jonah's clothing consists of a type of cassock, with a collar, buttoned up to the waist, where it is held together with a sash. The prophet also wears a cloak thrown over his left shoulder and the usual turban in the shape of a miter, with twisted edges.
Habakkuk
The prophet wears on his head the most complicated turban of the entire series, in which there is an upper plane divided into four rounded sections, with a covering finished off with a hanging tassel.
Nah
The physical type of Nahum's figure is that of an old man with a long beard, a hesitant posture and haggard face. He wears a long cassock, buttoned up to the waist.
Origin: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.