Aparicio Saravia Statue, Montevideo

The equestrian statue of Aparicio Saravia (1856 – 1904), a Uruguayan politician and military commander, member of the Uruguayan National Party, refers to an era of civil unrest in Uruguay. A revolutionary leader at the helm of a 15,000-strong army, Saravia waged war against the Uruguayan government at the turn of the last century. After his death in battle in 1904, the army was disbanded and the so-called Saravian Revolution, the last civil war in Uruguayan history, came to an end, followed by the Peace of Aceguá which finally brought stability to the country.

The statue is the work of José Luis Zorilla de San Martin (1891–1975), a prominent Uruguayan sculptor and painter, whose style is characterized by a blend of baroque and modern elements. The creative vision of Zorrilla de San Martín regarding monumental sculpture is best described with his own words: “Strong and powerful in every element. Without a shade of doubt or obscurity, but simple and eloquent. Thousands of men, women and children will pass by a monument every day, going about their business: work, home, school or amusement. I would like each of them, within a brief moment that they can dedicate to a bronze statue, to get a categorical and conclusive message of patriotism, freedom and courage; a message that will be the voice of the glorious tradition of our nation.”

Although the original sketches for the monument were drawn around 1930, it was only a quarter of a century later that it finally materialized – cast at the prestigious Vignali foundry. Commissioned by the Directorate of the National Party, Zorrilla de San Martín unveiled the statue – one of his last works and artistic legacy for both the city and the country – on May 18, 1956.

The depiction of Aparicio Saravia, the caudillo clad in poncho, with a hat, mounted on a horse “whose agile ears look like antennas receiving messages from the fields and jungles,” is an enduring symbol of the homeland of warriors on horseback. "The eastern land that is guarded here has the blood of the heroes who, [together] with General Aparicio Saravia, spilled it on the battlefields in the fight for civic liberties," says the inscription at the foot of the monument. The suggestive patina of time and the horizontal gaze of the caudillo, fixed in bronze, show that here, once again, tradition becomes spirit.