Prilidiano Pueyrredón, 1861
Un Alto en el Campo is an emblematic work of 19th-century Argentine art that captures a rural world on the brink of transformation. Noted in its contemporary critique as “Peace on the Ranch,” the painting reflects the idyllic customs of the “legitimate porteños” from the suburbs of Buenos Aires – a world that existed before the disruptive arrival of stagecoaches, buses, and railroads. Through its expansive landscape format, Pueyrredón skillfully assembles a series of familiar motifs: a cart traversing a diagonal road, the steadfast ombú, and vignettes of everyday rural life that include the gentle courtship of countryfolk and the calm demeanor of a family united in tradition.
Yet, beneath this harmonious tableau lies a poignant commentary on change. The painting subtly records the social shift wrought by mass immigration and the burgeoning cattle ranching industry, forces that began to erode the uniformity of family and race in the countryside. In our exhibition, Un Alto en el Campo stands as a visual document of a lost pastoral order – a reminder of the disappearing customs and the tension between cherished rural heritage and the relentless advance of modernity.