DescriptionCosme Pacheco.jpg	English: Cosme Pacheco when he was Sergeant Major of Cavalry, portrayed in 1831 in Lima at 28 years of age by Jose Gil de Castro (private collection)
Date	23 January 2021
Source	Own work
Author	JFPR19

Cosme Pacheco, Sargento Mayor de Caballería del Ejercito Peruano retratado por José Gil de Castro. Gil de Castro fue un reconocido pintor mulato de finales del siglo XVII y principios del XIX cuya obra abarca retratos de reconocida calidad pictórica. Su repertorio incluye héroes, santos, aristócratas y próceres de la talla de Bolívar y San Martín, así como el Rey Fernando VII de España. Gil de Castro retrató al entonces Sargento Mayor de Caballería Cosme Pacheco en la ciudad de Lima en Setiembre de 1831. Se desconoce quien encomendó el trabajo. El mismo es excepcional ya que muestra características únicas en la obra de Gil de Castro. El solo hecho de representar un oficial de menor graduación es sorprendente. Otra característica interesante es la presencia en el retrato de la imagen de la Virgen del Carmen, patrona del Ejército de los Andes que, liderado por el general José de San Martín, gestó la independencia de Argentina, Chile y Perú​. Como se apunta en investigaciones de la autógrafa en la obra de José Gil de Castro por Natalia Majluf, el retrato de Cosme Pacheco, firmado como José Gil de Castro, Primer Retratista de Cámara, título inexistente, inventado por el artista. La pintura, que pertenece a la sucesión de su tataranieto, Hugo Pacheco Garmendia, se encuentra en buen estado de conservación pese a los casi dos siglos transcurridos desde su creación. Esta incluye una reseña del militar tanto en la parte posterior del lienzo como en la parte superior izquierda de la pintura, que es visible en la reproducción adjunta, donde se lee:

"El Ciudadano Cosme Pacheco Benemérito a la Patria en Grado Eminente y Eroico[sic] Condecorado con las Medallas de los Libertadores del Perú en los Campos de Junín y Ayacucho Sargento mor.[sic, abreviatura de Mayor] de Caballería de Egto.[sic, abreviatura de Ejército] Se retrató en[sic] la edad de 28 años en la Capital de Lima en[sic] 27 de Septiembre de 1831. Por Jose Gil, Primer Retratista de Camara"

Cosme Pacheco, Sergeant Major of the Peruvian Army’s Cavalry portrayed by Jose Gil de Castro. Gil de Castro was a renowned mulatto artist of the late seventeenth and early nineteenth centuries, whose portraits are of recognized artistic quality. His repertoire includes heroes, saints, aristocrats and eminent figures such Bolivar and San Martin, as well as King Fernando VII of Spain. Gil de Castro painted the then Sergeant Major of the Cavalry Cosme Pacheco in the city of Lima in September 1831. It is unknown who commissioned the work. The portrait is exceptional as it shows unique characteristics in the work of Gil de Castro. Just representing a lower ranking officer is remarkable. Another interesting feature of the portrait is the presence of an image of the Virgin del Carmen, Patron Saint of the Army of the Andes. This army, led by General Jose de San Martin, fought and won the independence of Argentina, Chile and Peru. As noted in investigations of Gil de Castro’s signature in his work by Natalia Majluf, the portrait of Cosme Pacheco, signed as Jose Gil de Castro, First Portraitist of Chamber, is a non-existent title and invented by the artist. The painting, which belongs to the succession of his great-great-grandson, Hugo Pacheco Garmendia, is in good condition despite the almost two centuries that have elapsed since its creation. It includes a short bio (in Spanish) of Cosme Pacheco, both on the back of the canvas and in the upper left part of the painting, which is visible in the attached reproduction, where it reads (translated from Spanish):

"The Citizen Cosme Pacheco Meritorious to the Homeland in Eminent and Eroic[sic] Degree Decorated with the Medals of the Liberators of Peru in the Fields of Junín and Ayacucho Sergeant mor.[sic, meaning Major] of Cavalry of Egto.[sic, meaning the Army] Was portrayed in[sic] the age of 28 years in the Capital of Lima in[sic] September 27, 1831. By Jose Gil, First Portraitist of Camera"

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