This article remarks on the controversial Concurso Nacional de Pintura [National Painting Contest] held in 1970 to create the official image of José Gabriel Condorcanqui, Túpac Amaru II, indigenous forefather of Peruvian independence of whom there was no portrait from his historical period. The competition, which was organized by the Ministry of Education, was ultimately declared null and void. The article explains that it was impossible for participants to meet the unclear criteria of the competition [to select] “the archetype of the hero.” It also reports the request to the Casa de la Cultura of Peru that there be no new version of the event because it would be “a waste of time.” The anonymous author of this article, however, proposes bringing together the four painters who received honorable mentions (Ángel Chávez, Milner Cajahuaringa, Augusto Díaz Mori, and Fernando Saldías) so that they might work together on a definitive image of Túpac Amaru II.

This article is representative of responses to the announcement of a possible second Concurso Nacional de Pintura [National Painting Contest], held in honor of Túpac Amaru II; the first, which took place in 1970, had been declared null and void [on that subject, see in the ICAA digital archive by Alfredo Arrisueño Cornejo “Declaran desierto el Concurso de Pintura ‘Túpac Amaru II’” (doc. no. 865498)]. The article is of particular interest as the first to include reproductions of the four works awarded honorable mentions.

José Gabriel Condorcanqui, Túpac Amaru II (1738–81), was a curaca or chief of Incan descent who, in 1780, led the most important Andean uprising against the Spanish. Largely ignored by traditional Spanish-American historiography, his figure was the emblem of the so-called Gobierno Revolucionario de las Fuerzas Armadas during its first (1968–75), which was characterized by social reform and by an interest in symbolic representation. The lack of portraits from the lifetime of the indigenous leader led to the organization of this competition [see in the archive by Alfredo Arrisueño Cornejo “Convocan a concurso de pintura para perpetuar la imagen plástica del mártir José Gabriel Condorcanqui” (doc. no. 865422)], whose jury included leaders of almost all the art institutions in Peru. The polemic nature of the competition was heightened by the dramatic decision not to award any of the works submitted. Milner Cajahuaringa (1932–2017), one of the four painters awarded an honorable mention, decided to publicly renounce the recognition [see “Carta de renuncia a la Mención Honrosa otorgada en el Concurso de Pintura Nacional sobre Túpac Amaru” (doc. no. 1141759)]. A second competition was proposed, but it was never held.

[For further reading on Túpac Amaru II, see the following articles in the archive: by General EP Felipe de la Barra “¿Cómo fue Túpac Amaru?” (doc. no. 865441); (unsigned) “Convocan a concurso: monumento a Túpac Amaru se levantará en el Cuzco” (doc. no. 1053438); by Daniel Valcárcel “El retrato de Túpac Amaru” (doc. no. 1052165); and by A. O. Z. “Túpac Amaru: ¿verdadero retrato?” (doc. no. 865460)].