Portrait of General Artigas

José Gervasio Artigas Arnal (1764-1850) was a Uruguayan soldier who became a national hero for his contributions to the wars of independence from Spain. He is a celebrated figure in Uruguayan culture, and his name has become ubiquitous throughout the country. For example, one of the main roads in its capital city of Montevideo is Artigas Bulevard. Artist Juan Manuel Blanes painted this portrait of General Artigas, known as "Artigas en la puerta de la Ciudadela," in 1884. Many paintings of General Artigas depict him in a romanticized, pastoral scene because Artigas spent much of his life in the countryside. This painting places him in a different context, at the defensive walls of the city of Montevideo. This work belongs to Uruguay’s Museo Histórico Nacional.