Presidents of the South American Republics

This exhibition is no longer on view at the National Gallery.

Overview: 11 bronze portrait busts by the American sculptor Jo Davidson were on view. He had visited 10 South American republics the previous year under the auspices of the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs. The bronzes, cast on his return, were of the presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Venezuela was represented by 2 presidents. Davidson's visit to Caracas coincided with the postelection change in the presidency, so that busts were made of both the outgoing and the incoming president. The sculptures were to be presented to the governments of the 10 republics by the Department of State.

Also shown were bronze portrait busts by Jo Davidson of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Vice President Henry A. Wallace.

Catalog: Presidents of the South American Republics, Bronzes, by Jo Davidson. Washington, DC: National Gallery of Art, 1942 (editions in English, Spanish, and Portuguese).