Ospedale Italiano Umberto I (1884-1890)
(Italian Hospital of Montevideo.
The hospital is built in...)
Italian Hospital of Montevideo.
The hospital is built in the neoclassical architectural style, which has its origins in Italy. From this architectural phase come other famous monuments, like the Puerta de Alcalá in Madrid, work of Francesco Sabatini.
The Italian hospital is one of the first representatives of progressive art in Uruguay, of a simplistic and objective trait, that was the opposite of the subjectivity and decorum that had characterized the earlier stages, which were seeing slight revival in the building of the Palacio Legislativo of Montevideo, also by Italian architects, in 1925.
The Roman style columns, constructed on top of a firm base and in exact geometric placement, in two of the four sides of construction, enhance the concept of unity between art and science, typical of late neoclassicism. In an effort to revive a classic model, materials such as marble, granite and azulejo are used, imported from Europe, to recreate an image that combines the nuances of ancient art with the advances of modern science. Finally, the wing on the side of Artigas Boulevard, known as the "Passiva of the Hospital Italiano", is a bracket of bronze sculptures and figures that commemorate great personalities of both Italy and Uruguay. The bust in honor of national hero José Gervasio Artigas also stands next to the hospital.