Juan Manuel Besnes e Irigoyen

Scarcely known artist Juan Manuel Besnes e Irigoyen (San Sebastián, Spain 1779 - Uruguay 1865) was a outstanding artist and a representative personage of the history of Uruguay during the 19th century. Tutor of Juan Manuel Blanes, who painted him in remarkable portrait, he was also a soldier, calligrapher, topographer, teacher, politician, lithographer and important official over six decisive decades of institutional changes that occurred during the time in which he acted. Protagonist and witness, always close to power, he alternated with the Montevideo elite society and toured the smaller emerging new towns (Durazno, San José, Canelones), accompanied by President Fructuoso Rivera, while graphically documenting rural traditions and customs with a good dose of humor and ironic comments. "He left an artistic legacy that demands to be broadcast as to be seen and valued by a wide public and not continue to be available only to a circle of specialists. Is justice to recognize him as the basic foundation of national art, the origin, in his epic career of fundamental matter of Uruguayan painting."-(HKB Translation)-Verso Cover.