Before MuHAr

the creation of the Municipal Art Center

Abstract

The article presents the actions carried out by the Montevidean commune between 1951 and 1964, with the aim of creating an Art Center, which would be the seed of the Museo de Historia del Arte (Art History Museum), currently MuHAr. The municipal adviser in plastic arts,  architect Fernando García Esteban, led this process, which involved the purchase of pieces abroad, the receipt of donations and loans, and the organization of exhibitions and shows that were promoted in the press. Basically, the Art Center was born as a museum of art tracings, with a collection that placed special emphasis on ancient art, specifically on European art. The operation may have seemed strange in the middle of the 20th century, when modern art museums were appearing, and collections of tracings or ancient sculptures seemed to lose vigor. Based on this observation, my objective will be to present the reasons that led the Montevidean Municipality to carry out this project, which was completed in a relatively short period of time. The strong pedagogical mission that was attributed to the project was undoubtedly one of the reasons that the process was quick and successful. The mission centered on the idea that knowledge of art history was a basic component in the education of citizens, as well as on the certainty that European and Western art were cultural moulds for Uruguayans.