ALFONSO UGARTE

• ALFONSO UGARTE (2008) series –  1/25
• Serigraphs – 19.7 x 27.6 inches (70 x 50 cm.)
• Numbered – original artist signature – watermark – certificate
• Hand printing over cotton paper.

Hero of the Pacific War (Peru and Chile), he was born in 1847 in Iquique-Perú. At age 33, he died heroically in Arica on June 7, 1880, defending the homeland flag from the hands of the enemy during the Battle of Arica.

Successful businessman and merchant, he ventured with marked success in agriculture, commerce, and the exploitation of nitrate. He was ranked colonel of the Peruvian Army, and when the war with Chile broke out, he decided to stay and defend his homeland even though he had big plans with his company in Europe. He commanded the Iquique Battalion (financed by him). Despite being wounded in the head during the Battle of Tarapacá and infected by malaria, he decided to continue defending his homeland next to Colonel Francisco Bolognesi in the Battle of Arica. The story tells that when surrounded by the enemy in the Arica Mound, he decided to jump into the sea, defending the honor of the national flag of Perú presented by the ladies of his native land, Iquique.

“The image of a hero jumping onto his horse, clinging to his flag, was an image without limits. Undoubtedly, this is an epic legend in world war history, which is quite rare because in our ‘children’s imagination’, we grew up surrounded by impressive heroes mostly related to ‘losing’. However, these fantastic stories revealed to us the greatness of mythological beings, almost with superpowers that deep down made us feel ‘powerful’ as if we had not lost. The death of Alfonso Ugarte is a myth and perhaps the greatest of the Pacific War since there are several versions of what happened. Some say that he did not jump and died next to Colonel Bolognesi. Others say that he fell off his horse while running away… finally and until now the myth is still alive and is part of the history of Perú.” —Cherman