Cover photo: Route of the Army of the Andes

The main event will be the exhibition “Gallery of the Illustrators”, a tour through portraits and texts, through the names of French history in Chile, designed by Patrick Puigmal, Vice-Rector for Research and Postgraduate Studies of the ULagos and Marc Turrel, representative of the Napoleon Foundation in Chile.

An outstanding participation will be made by the Vice-Rector for Research and Prostrate of the ULagos, Doctor of History, Patrick Puigmal, in the framework of the bicentenary of the death of Napoleon Bonaparte (May 5, 1821) And in the context of the celebration of 3 centuries of presence and collaboration of France in Chile; on Wednesday, May 5, in a virtual ceremony to be held at the French Embassy in Chile.

In this context, the activity, which has the support of the French Embassy in Chile, the French Cultural Institute and the French Alliance of Chile, will present an exhibition that will portray the three centuries of French presence in Chile, beginning with the so-called “Plot of the Three Antonios”, which is the first to be published in the exhibition. A historic event that occurs in Chile in 1780, the first attempt to create and install a republican constitution, “Totally unsuccessful attempt, but in which they make their appearance, the three Antonios: Antonio de Rojas, Antoine Berney and Antoine Gramusset, therefore since the beginning of the emergence of republican theory, there are two Frenchmen,” says Patrick Puigmal.

In this sense, says Patrick Puigmal, other initiatives “that we have directed, one of them very successful, because we won a project in the Ministry of Culture: Heritage and restoration of a part of the Polpaico estate, which is the hacienda in which, as mentioned, the plot of the Antonios began and which will also be transformed into a museum about the French presence in Chile,” he said.

Napoleonic Army

In the instance, the research that has been carried out by the academic during the last 20 years, on the political and military influence of the Napoleonic in Chile (Napoleonic Army that joined the liberating force in 1815), stands out. That has allowed him to lead this process and have the support of the Napoleon Foundation, and to work with Marc Turrel, journalist, photographer and French historian and delegate of the Napoleon Foundation in Chile.

“Nearly 300 Napoleonic soldiers fight during independence with important roles in the leadership of the armies, the training of officers and the introduction of sciences such as topography, cartography and military medicine,” said Patrick Puigmal.

Three Centuries

Regarding the collaboration of three centuries of France in Chile, the vice-rector of Research and Postgraduate, commented that there is a common thread, “from the beginning to the present; first, the appearance of respect for Human Rights; second, the republican system; and third, an education system for the majority, if not for all,” he said.

The researcher explains “that in the nineteenth century dozens of professors will arrive in Chile in particular at the University of Chile (geographers, architects, doctors, engineers, artists, etc.).” scientists, university students, athletes, among others), who will be present at the exhibition through 58 panels,” he said.

Army of the Andes

Another action has to do with the route of the Army of the Andes, in which work is being done to present to the State of Chile and UNESCO, a project of declaration of National Historical Monument in Chile and UNESCO World Heritage, “because it is an emblematic place, a place that is a place that is very important to the people of Chile.” precious in addition, that has many interests and is totally forgotten,” he said.

The other project in which the historian of the ULagos is involved, is an underwater archeology operation in the port of Valparaiso, where a French sailboat sank in 1840, the Oriental, in which it was possible to rescue before the final sinking, a daguerreotype, the ancestor of the photograph, and the original. And that means for Chile the existence of photography as an element that can be used.

The participation of Dr. Puigmal and the ULagos as a regional university, has achieved the support of the Pontificia Universidad Católica, the Universidad de Chile and the Universidad de Concepción.

“We are a regional university that is capable of developing national or international research,” says Patrick Puigmal, PhD in History and Vice-Rector for Research and Postgraduate Studies at ULagos.