José Teófilo de Jesus

José Teófilo de Jesus (Salvador, Bahia, 1758?-Salvador, Bahia, July 19, 1847) was a Brazilian painter and gilder. He is the most noted representative of the Escola Baiana or Bahian School of painting. His work was eclectic, characterized by the passage from the Baroque to the Rococo, with reference to Neoclassical traits. De Jesus was of pardo, or mixed ethnic ancestry and lived into his nineties; little else is known of his life. His production was apparently vast, but many of his works are only identified by oral tradition. Although he is known as one of the great names of the Brazilian Baroque, and one of its final artists, details of his life and a full account of his works remain unclear. He assisted Da Rocha in painting and filling of secondary figures on ceiling and panels. De Jesus was part of a generation of painters who traveled to Portugal and Italy for training. He arrived in Lisbon in 1794 with Da Rocha's assistance, and worked with the foremost painters of the day, such as Vieira Lusitano, and Pompeo Batoni, an Italian working at the Basílica da Estrela in Lisbon.

De Jesus also painted the ceiling of the nave of the Parish Church of the Blessed Sacrament (Matriz do Santíssimo Sacramento) on Itaparica Island, a short distance from Salvador. His works in the Recôncavo include the ceiling of the nave of the Church of the Third Order of Saint Francis in Cachoeira. His works in Sergipe include the ceiling and nave of Parish Church of Our Lady of the Divine Shepherd in the municipality of Divina Pastora. Numerous secular works of De Jesus, which probably date to the early 19th century, are preserved in Bahia Art Museum in Salvador.