Juan María Gutiérrez
Encyclopedia
Juan María Gutiérrez was an Argentine
statesman, jurist, surveyor, historian, critic, and poet.
He was a major figure in Argentine liberalism and one of the most prominent promoters of Argentine culture during the 19th century. His oeuvre includes novels, Costumbrist dramas, biographies, literary criticism, and scientific works.
His political career began after the fall of Juan Manuel de Rosas
in 1852. He represented Entre Ríos
at the Argentine constitutional convention the following year. Between 1854 and 1856 he served as minister of foreign relations for the Argentine Confederation
. Along with Esteban Echeverría
, he was one of the founders of the Asociación de Mayo, an intellectual movement of the Rio de la Plata
region.
Gutiérrez was also a major figure of science and technology within Argentina. He was rector of the University of Buenos Aires
from 1861 until his retirement in 1874. During his tenure, numerous distinguished European professors joined the university's faculty. Along with Hermann Burmeister
, he launched the study of natural sciences in Argentina.
He formed and presided over the Association of Historical Studies and regularly attended meetings of the Literary Salon founded by Marcos Sastre. In 1837 he delivered his lecture Physiognomy of Spanish learning.
During the rule of Juan Manuel de Rosas
, Gutiérrez's support for Argentine exiles in Montevideo
led to his dismissal and imprisonment. He himself moved to Uruguay in 1840 when it was discovered that he had collaborated anonymously to El Iniciador, a periodical critical of Rosas. At the same time he continued to produce works as an engineer and topographer. Along with Juan Bautista Alberdi
and Esteban Echeverría
, he founded the Asociación de Mayo. In 1843 he and Alberdi traveled through the Americas and Europe. During a sojourn in Valparaíso
, Chile
, Gutiérrez devoted himself to teaching and writing. Among his works from this period was the critically acclaimed América Poética. He became the first director of the Naval Academy in Valparaíso. He published biographies translated from the French
, as well as the results of his investigations of the new world.
The fall of Rosas in 1852 allowed Gutiérrez to return to Argentina, where he attended the Constitutional Convention of 1853 as a supporter of the San Nicolás Agreement
. As minister of foreign relations of the Argentine Confederation
under Justo José de Urquiza
, he contributed to the success of the San José de Flores Agreement in 1859, which reunited Buenos Aires
and the provinces of the Argentine Confederation.
Gutiérrez began a career as a journalist in Buenos Aires and also served as a national deputy. President Bartolomé Mitre
appointed him director of the University of Buenos Aires
, in which capacity he served from 1861 to 1874.; he established the university's School of Engineering in 1866. He later attended the Constitutional Convention of Buenos Aires between 1870 and 1873.
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...
statesman, jurist, surveyor, historian, critic, and poet.
He was a major figure in Argentine liberalism and one of the most prominent promoters of Argentine culture during the 19th century. His oeuvre includes novels, Costumbrist dramas, biographies, literary criticism, and scientific works.
His political career began after the fall of Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas , was an argentine militar and politician, who was elected governor of the province of Buenos Aires in 1829 to 1835, and then of the Argentine Confederation from 1835 until 1852...
in 1852. He represented Entre Ríos
Entre Ríos Province
Entre Ríos is a northeastern province of Argentina, located in the Mesopotamia region. It borders the provinces of Buenos Aires , Corrientes and Santa Fe , and Uruguay in the east....
at the Argentine constitutional convention the following year. Between 1854 and 1856 he served as minister of foreign relations for the Argentine Confederation
Argentine Confederation
The Argentine Confederation is one of the official names of Argentina, according to the Argentine Constitution, Article 35...
. Along with Esteban Echeverría
Esteban Echeverría
José Esteban Antonio Echeverría was an Argentine poet, fiction writer, cultural promoter, and political activist who played a significant role in the development of Argentine literature, not only through his own writings but also through his organizational efforts...
, he was one of the founders of the Asociación de Mayo, an intellectual movement of the Rio de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
region.
Gutiérrez was also a major figure of science and technology within Argentina. He was rector of the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
from 1861 until his retirement in 1874. During his tenure, numerous distinguished European professors joined the university's faculty. Along with Hermann Burmeister
Hermann Burmeister
Karl Hermann Konrad Burmeister was a German zoologist, entomologist, and herpetologist.Burmeister was born in Stralsund and became a professor of Zoology at the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg from 1837 to 1861...
, he launched the study of natural sciences in Argentina.
- "Fortunately I have a malleable character and always find as much promise in a book of poetry as in a book of mathematics." - Juan María Gutiérrez
- "By virtue of his heart's loftiness and his spirit's luster, Gutiérrez was a poet without compromising himself as a mathematician. This yields the precious alliance of good taste and good sense that pervades his intelligence." - Juan Bautista Alberdi
Biography
Gutiérrez was acquainted with letters from an early age, but did not disdain the sciences, and was especially fond of mathematics. He studied engineering as much as he did law. He earned his doctorate in jurisprudence at age 27 with the thesis Sobre los tres poderes públicos ("On the three public powers"). He was exempt from paying tuition due to his family's poor economic standing, but chose to pay his own way as a surveyor and engineer with the Topographical Department, by producing translations, and by contributing to literary journals.He formed and presided over the Association of Historical Studies and regularly attended meetings of the Literary Salon founded by Marcos Sastre. In 1837 he delivered his lecture Physiognomy of Spanish learning.
During the rule of Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas , was an argentine militar and politician, who was elected governor of the province of Buenos Aires in 1829 to 1835, and then of the Argentine Confederation from 1835 until 1852...
, Gutiérrez's support for Argentine exiles in Montevideo
Montevideo
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...
led to his dismissal and imprisonment. He himself moved to Uruguay in 1840 when it was discovered that he had collaborated anonymously to El Iniciador, a periodical critical of Rosas. At the same time he continued to produce works as an engineer and topographer. Along with Juan Bautista Alberdi
Juan Bautista Alberdi
Juan Bautista Alberdi was an Argentine political theorist and diplomat. Although he lived most of his life in exile in Montevideo and Chile, he was one of the most influential Argentine liberals of his age.-Biography:...
and Esteban Echeverría
Esteban Echeverría
José Esteban Antonio Echeverría was an Argentine poet, fiction writer, cultural promoter, and political activist who played a significant role in the development of Argentine literature, not only through his own writings but also through his organizational efforts...
, he founded the Asociación de Mayo. In 1843 he and Alberdi traveled through the Americas and Europe. During a sojourn in Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
, 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...
, Gutiérrez devoted himself to teaching and writing. Among his works from this period was the critically acclaimed América Poética. He became the first director of the Naval Academy in Valparaíso. He published biographies translated from the French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, as well as the results of his investigations of the new world.
The fall of Rosas in 1852 allowed Gutiérrez to return to Argentina, where he attended the Constitutional Convention of 1853 as a supporter of the San Nicolás Agreement
San Nicolás Agreement
The San Nicolás Agreement was a pact signed on May 31, 1852 and subscribed by all but one of the 14 provinces of the United Provinces of the River Plate . The treaty consisted of 19 articles, and its goal was to set the bases for the national organization of the young Argentine state...
. As minister of foreign relations of the Argentine Confederation
Argentine Confederation
The Argentine Confederation is one of the official names of Argentina, according to the Argentine Constitution, Article 35...
under 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...
, he contributed to the success of the San José de Flores Agreement in 1859, which reunited 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...
and the provinces of the Argentine Confederation.
Gutiérrez began a career as a journalist in Buenos Aires and also served as a national deputy. President Bartolomé Mitre
Bartolomé Mitre
Bartolomé Mitre Martínez was an Argentine statesman, military figure, and author. He was the President of Argentina from 1862 to 1868.-Life and times:...
appointed him director of the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
, in which capacity he served from 1861 to 1874.; he established the university's School of Engineering in 1866. He later attended the Constitutional Convention of Buenos Aires between 1870 and 1873.