Juan Manuel Blanes
Encyclopedia
Juan Manuel Blanes was a noted Uruguayan
painter of the Realist school.
, Uruguay
, in 1830. He was raised by his mother, with whom he relocated to the countryside in his early teens. Blanes took an interest in drawing at this point, and shortly afterwards, was hired as an illustrator for a Montevideo newsdaily, El Defensor de la Independencia Americana. Earning extra income with watercolors, he returned to his mother and, in 1854, established his first atelier.
He married María Linari, and in 1855, the couple settled in Salto
, where he worked as a portrait painter. They relocated to Concepción del Uruguay
(across the Uruguay River
, in Argentina
) in 1857, and Blanes was commissioned by Argentine President Justo José de Urquiza
to complete a number of portraits, allegories and landscapes to grace his nearby estancia
, the Palacio San José
. Returning to Montevideo in 1861, the talented painter obtained a scholarship from the Uruguayan government, and with it, traveled with his family to Florence
, Italy
, where he studied under Antonio Ciseri
until 1864.
The experience became a valuable calling card for Blanes, who became of Uruguay's most sought-after portraiteurs. The 1871 outbreak of a yellow fever
epidemic in Buenos Aires
inspired his first renowned work, which he exhibited to acclaim in the recovering city. His 1872 portrait of the Argentine War of Independence
hero, General José de San Martín
(The Review in Rancagua
), was also a success in Buenos Aires, and Blanes was invited to Chile
to display the historic depiction.
," members of a revolutionary vanguard whose insurrection against Brazil
ian authorities resulted in Uruguayan Independence, in 1828. The portrait's 1877 display was followed by Blanes' second stay in Florence, where he completed The Battle of Sarandí, a depiction of another milestone in Uruguay's nationhood. These works, and his bucolic portraits of life in his homeland did not garner the interest he expected in Italy, however, and the Blaneses returned to Montevideo in the early 1880s.
Blanes resumed his portrait work, which remained popular among the local gentry. Among the most notable was a portrait of President Máximo Santos
, commissioned by friends of the ruler as a gift. The most well-known from this later period, however, was Artigas en la Ciudadela, an homage to one of Uruguay's most respected early patriots, José Gervasio Artigas
.
, where his elder son, Juan Luis, had settled.
He returned to Uruguay alone, and continued to create historic
and landscape art
. A few years later, Juan Luis lost his life in an accident and in 1899, Nicanor disappeared in Pisa
. Blanes hurried to the Tuscan city in hopes of locating his son, and a friend from a previous visit made him a guest in her house. Searching for nearly two years, the 70-year-old Blanes died in Ms. Manetti's Vía di Mezzo residence.
The city of Montevideo established the Municipal Museum of Fine Arts
, and named it in his honor, in 1930; many of his best-known works are also displayed in the National Museum of Visual Arts. A José Artigas statue based on Blanes' portrait was cast in bronze in Uruguay during World War II
as a gift to the United States
.
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
painter of the Realist school.
Life and work
Blanes was born in MontevideoMontevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
, in 1830. He was raised by his mother, with whom he relocated to the countryside in his early teens. Blanes took an interest in drawing at this point, and shortly afterwards, was hired as an illustrator for a Montevideo newsdaily, El Defensor de la Independencia Americana. Earning extra income with watercolors, he returned to his mother and, in 1854, established his first atelier.
He married María Linari, and in 1855, the couple settled in Salto
Salto, Uruguay
Salto is the capital city of the Salto Department in northwestern Uruguay and the second largest city of the country. It is located on Route 3, about northwest of Montevideo, and on the east bank of Río Uruguay, across the city Concordia of Argentina...
, where he worked as a portrait painter. They relocated to Concepción del Uruguay
Concepción del Uruguay
Concepción del Uruguay is a city in Argentina.It is located in the Entre Ríos province, on the western shore of the Uruguay River, some 320 kilometers north from Buenos Aires. Its population is about 65,000 inhabitants .-History:...
(across the Uruguay River
Uruguay River
The Uruguay River is a river in South America. It flows from north to south and makes boundary with Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, separating some of the Argentine provinces of the Mesopotamia from the other two countries...
, in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
) in 1857, and Blanes was commissioned by Argentine President Justo José de Urquiza
Justo José de Urquiza
Justo José de Urquiza y García was an Argentine general and politician. He was president of the Argentine Confederation from 1854 to 1860.He was governor of Entre Ríos during the government of Juan Manuel de Rosas, governor of Buenos Aires with powers delegated from the other provinces...
to complete a number of portraits, allegories and landscapes to grace his nearby estancia
Estância
Estância is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Sergipe. Its population was 62,218 and its area is 642 km². The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Estância....
, the Palacio San José
Palacio San José
The San José Palace is the former personal residence of Justo José de Urquiza, Argentine caudillo, general, politician and President of the Argentine Confederation from 1854 to 1860...
. Returning to Montevideo in 1861, the talented painter obtained a scholarship from the Uruguayan government, and with it, traveled with his family to Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, where he studied under Antonio Ciseri
Antonio Ciseri
Antonio Ciseri was an Italian painter of religious subjects....
until 1864.
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
epidemic in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
inspired his first renowned work, which he exhibited to acclaim in the recovering city. His 1872 portrait of the Argentine War of Independence
Argentine War of Independence
The Argentine War of Independence was fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli and José de San Martín against royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown...
hero, General José de San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
(The Review in Rancagua
Rancagua
Rancagua is a city and commune in central Chile, part of the Rancagua conurbation. It is the capital of the Cachapoal Province and of the O'Higgins Region, located south of the national capital of Santiago. It had a 2002 population of 214,344...
), was also a success in Buenos Aires, and Blanes was invited to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
to display the historic depiction.
Works of Uruguayan national importance
Returning to Uruguay, Blanes undertook a portrait of the "Thirty-three EasternersThirty-Three Orientals
The Treinta y Tres Orientales was a militant revolutionary group led by Juan Antonio Lavalleja against the Empire of Brazil. Their actions culminated in the foundation of modern Uruguay...
," members of a revolutionary vanguard whose insurrection against Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian authorities resulted in Uruguayan Independence, in 1828. The portrait's 1877 display was followed by Blanes' second stay in Florence, where he completed The Battle of Sarandí, a depiction of another milestone in Uruguay's nationhood. These works, and his bucolic portraits of life in his homeland did not garner the interest he expected in Italy, however, and the Blaneses returned to Montevideo in the early 1880s.
Blanes resumed his portrait work, which remained popular among the local gentry. Among the most notable was a portrait of President Máximo Santos
Máximo Santos
Máximo Santos was a Uruguayan political and military figure.-Background:Santos pursued a career in the military, prior to serving as Minister for War from 1880 to 1882...
, commissioned by friends of the ruler as a gift. The most well-known from this later period, however, was Artigas en la Ciudadela, an homage to one of Uruguay's most respected early patriots, José Gervasio Artigas
José Gervasio Artigas
José Gervasio Artigas is a national hero of Uruguay, sometimes called "the father of Uruguayan nationhood".-Early life:Artigas was born in Montevideo on June 19, 1764...
.
Later life and legacy
This success was followed by the 1889 death of Blanes' wife, however, and he and his younger son, Nicanor, spent the next two years in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where his elder son, Juan Luis, had settled.
He returned to Uruguay alone, and continued to create historic
History painting
History painting is a genre in painting defined by subject matter rather than an artistic style, depicting a moment in a narrative story, rather than a static subject such as a portrait...
and landscape art
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
. A few years later, Juan Luis lost his life in an accident and in 1899, Nicanor disappeared in Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
. Blanes hurried to the Tuscan city in hopes of locating his son, and a friend from a previous visit made him a guest in her house. Searching for nearly two years, the 70-year-old Blanes died in Ms. Manetti's Vía di Mezzo residence.
The city of Montevideo established the Municipal Museum of Fine Arts
Juan Manuel Blanes Museum
Juan Manuel Blanes Municipal Museum of Arts Juan Manuel Blanes Municipal Museum of Arts Juan Manuel Blanes Municipal Museum of Arts (en eis the name of a municipal museum, Avenida Millán 4015 In Prado, Montevideo, Uruguay.-Location and history:It is located in the neighbourhood of Prado,...
, and named it in his honor, in 1930; many of his best-known works are also displayed in the National Museum of Visual Arts. A José Artigas statue based on Blanes' portrait was cast in bronze in Uruguay during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a gift to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
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