João Antunes

Who was João Antunes?

João Antunes was a Portuguese architect, considered one of the most important Baroque architects of Portugal.

As royal architect, Antunes' main work is the Church of Santa Engrácia in Lisbon, a Greek cross building with curved façades typical of the Baroque architecture of Borromini. Antunes was also responsible for the projects for the Church of Saint Elói and the Church of Menino Deus, both in Lisbon. These churches had the shape of a rectangle with angled edges, thus assuming the shape of an irregular octagon. This floorplan scheme, possibly derived from designs by Guarino Guarini, would greatly influence other churches in Portugal and colonial Brazil. All of these churches were decorated with marble panels of Italian influence, anticipating the dominant role that Roman art would have in the Portuguese court during the 18th century.

Antunes was also responsible for the Church of Bom Jesus of Barcelos, started in 1704. The innovative floorplan of this church consists of a Greek cross church inserted into a hexagon with four sides of round shape. Another work by Antunes in northern Portugal was the renovation of the sacristy of Braga Cathedral.