Skip to main content

Secondary sourceSculpture1915

Monument to Juan de Garay

Gustav Eberlein · 1915

A 1915 bronze statue near the Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires showing Garay in armor, made during Argentina's centenary era to honor him as a founding father.

This monument commemorates Garay as the founder of Buenos Aires, reflecting how he was honored centuries after his death.

Ask Juan de Garay about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Bronze statue of a bearded man in 16th-century armored costume, with a plumed hat, a sash across his chest, and a sword at his side. His right arm is extended outward, pointing, and he stands on a stone pedestal against trees and sky.
Gustav Eberlein, Monument to Juan de Garay, 1915. Plaza 11 de Junio de 1580, Buenos Aires.

About this source

What it is

This is a bronze statue of Juan de Garay made by the German sculptor Gustav Eberlein in 1915. It stands in a plaza in Buenos Aires near the Casa Rosada, showing Garay in armored 16th-century costume with a plumed hat and sword, his arm extended as if pointing.

Why it matters

Garay founded the city of Santa Fe in 1573 and later Buenos Aires in 1580, and became a governor of the region. This statue, made more than 300 years after his death during a period when Argentina was celebrating its centenary, shows how the country chose to honor him as a founding father — shaping public memory of the conquest era.

Look closer

  • Why might Argentina have built this monument in 1915, decades after Garay's death?
  • What does the pointing gesture suggest the sculptor wanted viewers to think about Garay?
  • What does a statue like this choose not to show about the founding of the city?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Juan de Garay on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Juan de Garay sources

Meet the AI Juan de Garay →
Title page of an 1836 Spanish book reading 'Fundación de la Ciudad de Buenos-Aires, por D. Juan de Garay, con otros documentos de aquella época', with a 'Primera Edición' label, a library stamp reading Universitäts-Bibliothek Basel, handwritten shelf marks, and the imprint 'Buenos-Aires, Imprenta del Estado, 1836'.Book

Primary source

Fundación de la ciudad de Buenos-Aires, por D. Juan de Garay, con otros documentos de aquella época

Juan de Garay · 1836

Front cover of a dark red leather book with a small gold emblem of a ram or sheep above gold initials resembling 'L' and 'T' or similar monogram, centered on the cover.Book

Primary source

La Argentina, o la conquista del Río de la Plata

Martín del Barco Centenera · 1602

Painting of a founding scene: a man in a dark cloak points a sword toward a tall wooden post while a crowd of armored Spanish soldiers and clergy stands before a large red banner with a gold coat of arms. Native people kneel and sit in the foreground, and ships appear on the distant shoreline under a cloudy sky.Painting

Secondary source

Fundación de Buenos Aires

José Moreno Carbonero · 1923

Engraved-style portrait of a bearded man in a wide-brimmed hat and a lace collar, facing right, with the caption 'DON JUAN DE GARAY' across the top and a signature in the lower right corner.Painting

Secondary source

Retrato de Don Juan de Garay

Unknown

Aged, faded oil-style portrait of a bearded man with dark hair and a white ruff collar, wearing dark metal armor and a reddish-orange sash across his chest. The painting shows visible cracks and damage.Painting

Secondary source

Portrait of Juan de Garay

Unknown

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Juan de Garay now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions