Tebas

A monumental cross in the township of Itu, São Paulo designed and constructed by Tebas (watercolour by :pt:Miguelzinho Dutra). The piece is extant to this day and preserved in excellent shape.

Misericórdia fountain in downtown São Paulo designed and possibly constructed by Tebas (line drawing by :pt:Miguelzinho Dutra).

Joaquim Pinto de Oliveira Thebas (1721 – 11 January 1811), commonly known as Tebas (according to modern Portuguese spelling), was a Brazilian engineer, architect and stonemason who likely until the age of 58 was held captive as a slave by Portuguese settlers in Brazil, and possibly also by the Catholic Church. According to journalist and historian Afonso Antonio de Freitas (1870–1930), there was no construction work of importance in São Paulo at the time in which Tebas did not play a role, including the city's water supply. His modernising work in São Paulo was largely erased by demolition, but is still to be seen in the church facades of Church of the Third Order of Carmel and Church of the Wounds of the Seraphic Father Saint Francis. Tebas' importance to the history of Black peoples in Brazil has been compared to that of Luís Gama.

Tebas, whose mother was Clara Pinta de Araújo, was born an enslaved Black individual owned by Portuguese contractor Bento de Oliveira Lima and his wife Antonia Maria Pinta. As was customary at the time, he was given Portuguese surnames after the family names of his enslavers.

In downtown São Paulo, the Chafariz da Misericórdia (Misericórdia Fountain) is displayed, it was a meeting place for enslaved workers who came in search of water to be carried back to the households of their enslavers. It was demolished in 1866. São Paulo mayor Bruno Covas announced on 10 September 2020 that a statue to Tebas was to be built in São Paulo's Old Downtown.