In recent decades , San Antonio de Areco became the quintessential Creole enclave . With good hotels and restaurants, the experience in Areco is filled pure tradition. If the pampa treasures as its maximum cultural heritage everything related to the gaucho, then San Antonio de Areco is “the” symbol of this. Areco became known thanks to Ricardo Güiraldes , who set his novel ” Don Segundo Sombra ” in this town. It is no coincidence that the writer has been inspired by these vast fields of the plain, since the story of his character is related to the fact that the writer spent time in the Estancia La Porteña , owned by his father.
ARECO: BASTIÓN DE LA TRADICIÓN
En las últimas décadas, San Antonio de Areco se transformó en el enclave criollo por excelencia. Con buena hotelería y gastronomía, la experiencia es a pura tradición. – Si la pampa atesora como su máximo legado cultural lo relacionado con lo gauchesco, San Antonio de Areco es “el” símbolo de ello. Se hizo conocido por Ricardo Güiraldes, quien situó su novela “Don Segundo Sombra” en estos pagos. No es casualidad que el escritor se haya inspirado en estos vastos campos de la llanura, ya que la historia de su personaje está relacionada con las estadías que el escritor pasaba en la estancia La Porteña, propiedad de su padre.
The Don Segundo Sombra book was illustrated in 1929 by the cousin of Ricardo Güiraldes .
He was an amazing artist, and observing his works we see that time in San Antonio de Areco stopped literally…at a bar.
His technique consists on precise and strong, clean lines.
In the Ricardo Güiraldes Gaucho Museum located within the Parque Criollo there are many examples of these Alberto Güiraldes drawings.
All of them representing gaucho situations in the Pampas, most of them real scenes that he was living in his daily life in Estancia La Porteña near San Antonio de Areco
At the entrance of the Museum you can read: If you want to know the work of Güiraldes, the story of Don Segundo Sombra and how rural people think, you’d better go to the museum named after the writer.
The Don Segundo Sombra book even though it may be considered as a continuity with Martín Fierro, more than an extiguished gaucho elegy it proposes new ethical examples to a youth that Ricardo Güiraldes considered disoriented and restless mainly. Structured in a basic way as lessons to be absorbed escaping from inexperience, lessons on work, amusement, morals, camp chores (horse taming, cattle rodeo “jineteada”, raw hide pieces of work done by the gauchos, animal healing, etc.), they become an example of “lo criollo” supported by a very specific and precise words.
