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Draft:Monument to the Baron of Rio Branco

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Monument to the Baron of Rio Branco
The monument
LocationPraça da Alfândega, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
OwnerJoão Vicente Friedrichs

The Monument to the Baron of Rio Branco is a public monument located in Praça da Alfândega, in the downtown area of Porto Alegre, Brazil, in front of the Memorial do Rio Grande do Sul. It honors José Maria da Silva Paranhos Júnior, the Baron of Rio Branco, a prominent Brazilian statesman during the Old Republic.

History

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The initiative to erect a memorial to the Baron of Rio Branco arose from the national mourning following his death on February 10, 1912. Various proposals emerged across Brazil and abroad to honor this notable figure, with Porto Alegre joining the movement. In March 1912, the "Club Militar de Officiaes da Guarda Nacional" convened, and Colonel Ernesto Jaegger proposed the creation of a monument, to be funded through donations.[1]

Detalhe da figura do Barão

A model for the monument was requested from the sculptor João Vicente Friedrichs to serve as a basis for a competition to select the final design. Competing designs included three projects from Dreschler & Filhos, two from João Vicente Friederichs, one from Jesús Maria Corona, and one from Pasqual de Chirico. The judging committee, composed of Manuel Itaqui, Sylvio Barbedo, and Giuseppe Gaudenzi, met in December 1913 and selected one of Friedrichs' designs. A contract was signed on January 21, 1914, with a completion date set for November 15 of the same year.[1]

The plaster models for the two main figures, one of the Baron and another representing the Republic, were created by Alfred Adloff. The models were sent to Berlin for casting in bronze. However, only the Baron's model was successfully cast and shipped to Porto Alegre in February 1915. The model of the Republic was delayed at the port of Santos and ultimately was cast at Friedrichs' workshop in Porto Alegre due to complications from the outbreak of World War I in Europe. The monument was finally inaugurated on September 7, 1916.[1]

Detalhe da figura da República

The structure stands on a square base with three steps, a mosaic stone floor, and a granite pedestal for the statues. The statue of the Republic, positioned at the base, depicts a woman with flowing robes, wearing a Phrygian cap and a laurel wreath. She holds the national flag in her left hand and extends her right arm towards the Baron, offering him another laurel wreath. The Baron, depicted in a formal coat, holds a pince-nez in his right hand and the Treaty of Missions in his left. Commemorative plaques are mounted on the four sides of the pedestal, with the front plaque bearing his title and a quote: BARÃO DO RIO BRANCO - "Em toda a parte me lembro da Pátria" ("Everywhere I go, I remember my country").[1] The monument has suffered vandalism, resulting in the loss of part of the Republic's right arm and one of the plaques.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Doberstein, Arnoldo Walter. "Porto Alegre Positivista". In: Cadernos de História do Memorial e Banrisul. Porto Alegre: Memorial do Rio Grande do Sul, online edition without date