The Statue of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, Buenos Aires

The monument honoring President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, crafted by renowned French sculptor Auguste Rodin, was unveiled in 1900. Situated at the crossroads of Libertador Avenue and Sarmiento Avenue within the Palermo Parks of Buenos Aires, this monument came to fruition through the collaboration of a committee formed in 1894 to pay tribute to the former president.

The committee's responsibility included selecting an appropriate location for the monument, and they entrusted this task to Auguste Rodin, who held a reputation as both the most celebrated and provocative sculptor of his time in France. To fulfill this duty, the president of the committee journeyed to France, where Rodin was engaged to undertake the endeavor.

Rodin's artistic creation, an extraordinary feat as the sole foreign-commissioned work in his portfolio, comprises a dual sculpture at its base: Sarmiento and Apollo. Within this artwork, there is an exquisite fusion of both iconic and symbolic elements, both expressed with remarkable skill and ingenuity.

However, during the era of its conception, prevailing sentiments dictated that monuments ought to reflect a patriotic visual narrative, underscored by a clear and unwavering message that facilitates recognition and identification of the individual being portrayed.