Jorge María Lubary

 

Last July 25 was the sixtieth anniversary of this artist´s death, who stood out notably in the field of the medals creation. He is considered to be one of the greatest in this specialty in the early third of this century in Argentina; in spite of which little has been written on this figure. Born in 1862, a series of masterful portraits (especially those of Justo José de Urquiza, Carlos Pellegrini, Manuel Quintana, Anatole France y Sara Bernhardt) gave evidence of his talent.

Jorge M. Lubary was a multiple man that achieved the degree of lawyer and acted in politics; as an artist, he also was a sculptor and a monograms and stamps designer.

In political functions, he occupied a seat as a deputy in Santa Fe province, where he was also bound to agrarian activities. His vocation for aesthetics was put in evidence not only in the medals field, but in several artistic productions such as for example "La maravilla" and "El labrador", design made for the issue of stamps which were sent to print at the "South American Company of Banknotes". In his themes, he preferred to reflect human figures more than allegories.

Returning to the medals engraved by Lubary, one of them is the piece that illustrates this article. It was ordered by "La Nación" newspaper in order to pay homage to General Eudoro J. Balsa when he died in 1922. It is made of brass and has a size of 50 mm and a weight of 46.6 grams. There are also silver pieces.

Before concluding, let us say some words on the depicted character. Born in San Nicolás de los Arroyos in 1837, Eudoro J. Balsa was a soldier from young. He was in Cepeda and Pavón battles as an assistant to General Mitre and he participated in the war of the Triple Alliance. He was national deputy, too, and was in charge of the Army and Navy Undersecretariat and –when Dr. José Evaristo Uriburu was President- Minister. His name is inscribed among the founders of the Jockey Club.

 

 Carlos Alberto Graziadio


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