'La Carreta'  the Prairie Schooner  by José Belloni

Souvenir of a visit to South America in 1936.  This black and white photograph is of a monument called   'La Carreta'  the Prairie Schooner  by José Belloni.   Unveiled on October 14, 1934, it stands in the Parque José Batllé y Ordonez in Montevideo.  In 1976 it was declared a historic monument commemorating the transport used by the early settlers.

Made of bronze on a rose granite base, it particularly attracted the attention of Paul Harris on his visit to Montevideo in 1936.  In 'Peregrinations 3', Harris wrote:- "It would be difficult to describe this mammoth creation.  Six life sized oxen are shown straining in their yokes, dragging a prairie schooner, sunk to the hubs in mud. A spare set of oxen are tethered to the rear axle and a gaucho (cowboy) in (a) saddle whirls his whip in (the)  air to urge the struggling beasts along, while a tired and dejected camp dog brings up the rear. 

No lover of realism in art can fail to admire Montevideo's Carreta, but only a master uplifted by exalted purpose could have created it."

Jose Leoncio Belloni, 1882-1965, from Montevideo in Uruguay, was a noted South American sculptor.

This ongoing project is the work of RGHF historian Basil Lewis, first posted 7 April 2006 This section is maintained by RGHF webmaster Paul D. McLain. If you can help identify or supply more information about anything on this page, please contact us at www.historycomment.org

After you see the museum office, meet his partners and office workers at Harris Dodds & Brown. (A page of photographs of the actual office in the early 2000's)

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