The article explores the experiences of a brown-skinned master mason named Francisco José Gomes de Santa Rosa, who lived from 1810 to 1861. By means of specialized craftsmen associations' books and his inventory, among other documents, which were scrutinized in the various files in Recife, we observed that he was a free man from the state of Pernambuco, married, owner of a few pieces of real estate and gained prominence in two organizations dedicated to the professionals of his craft. On account of his network of customers, of his prominence with the artistic class and the public acknowledgement of his skill, Francisco José Gomes de Santa Rosa achieved a certain level of education, accumulated assets, and put together a good network of relations. At the end of his life, however, on account of a chronic disease and the maintenance of his living standards (at the cost of depleting his resources), the dark-skinned craftsman left his family materially deprived.
craftsman; mutualismo; brotherhood