Draft:Jose Garzia

• Comment: Wikipedia is not a reliable source; remove the spanish wiki link. Safari Scribe^{Edits! Talk!} 11:37, 23 May 2025 (UTC)

• Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest policy, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. DRGarzia (talk) 23:22, 22 May 2025 (UTC)

---

Jose F. M. Garzia (also known as Giuseppe Garzia; born 1864, date and place of death unknown) was an Italian-born Argentine foundry owner and engineer, recognized for operating one of the most significant artistic and industrial foundries in Buenos Aires, and indeed South America, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His work included major national monuments and intricate artistic castings. His last known professional activities date to around 1916, after which his whereabouts and fate are unknown.

Early Life and Emigration

Giuseppe Garzia was born in Naples, Italy, in 1864. He later presented himself as a "disciple of the Institute of Fine Arts of Naples (Founder)," although formal records of his attendance at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Napoli (formerly Real Istituto di Belle Arti) have not been confirmed.

Garzia arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, around the beginning of the 1900s. His brother, Dr. Francesco (Fernando) Garzia (born Naples, 1863), a physician, also emigrated to Buenos Aires and became a notable figure in the medical field there before his death in 1917. Although his arrival is generally cited as early 1900s, his foundry was already active in Buenos Aires by 1899.

Career as a Foundry Owner and Engineer

Jose Garzia established and operated a prominent foundry in Buenos Aires, which gained a reputation for both artistic and large-scale industrial castings. It was considered one of the most important in South America at the time. Beyond artistic casting, Garzia's official letterhead also listed "Mechanical and Naval Expertise," indicating a broader scope to his engineering activities.

His foundry was responsible for casting numerous significant works. Garzia sometimes referred to himself as an "engineer," a title also used by others in relation to his work.

Notable Projects and Works

Garzia's foundry was involved in several high-profile projects:

• Sarmiento Monument: Around 1899-1900, his "fundición artística de Garzia" cast in bronze the sculptural group "Sarmiento educacionista" by De Pol.
• San Martín Equestrian Statues: In the early 20th century, Garzia's foundry produced reproductions of the equestrian statue of General José de San Martín. These reproductions, intended for various Argentine cities, were notable for being among the first equestrian statues cast in Argentina. However, they also generated controversy as they were reportedly made without the authorization of the original sculptors or their heirs.
• Equestrian Monument for Rosario: In 1910, "engineer José Garzia" was commissioned by the city of Rosario to create a replica of an equestrian monument (a version of the San Martín statue). This was inaugurated on May 22, 1913.
• Adolfo Alsina Mausoleum (1912-1916): Garzia played a central role in the construction of the Adolfo Alsina Mausoleum in Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires. His foundry was responsible for casting the bronze sculptural elements. He also acted as a contractor for the project, and his foundry's land was used as a mortgage to guarantee the project's completion.

Alsina Mausoleum Controversy

The Alsina Mausoleum project was fraught with conflict, particularly between Garzia, the Italian-Argentine sculptor and founder Alejo Joris, and the French sculptor Marguerite Bonnet, to whom the mausoleum's design was officially attributed.

• Joris accused Garzia of being a "monument trafficker and statue plagiarist" due to his unauthorized reproductions of other works.
• Garzia, as the main contractor beyond just the bronze casting, subcontracted other artisans for marble, granite, and masonry work.
• Disputes arose over the casting methods, with Garzia advocating for a combination of sand casting and lost-wax casting for cost and efficiency, despite initial contractual stipulations for solely lost-wax.
• Further issues emerged regarding the quality and application of the patina on the bronze statues, leading to accusations and orders for re-patination.

Garzia also reported acts of vandalism and sabotage at his workshop during the execution of the mausoleum's bronzes.

Later Life and Disappearance

Jose Garzia's last known professional activities are documented around 1916, coinciding with the latter stages and controversies of the Alsina Mausoleum project and around the time of his brother Dr. Francesco Garzia's death in Buenos Aires in 1917.

After 1916, information about Jose F. M. Garzia becomes scarce. His exact fate, including the date and place of his death, remains unknown.