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Street Wise
Avenida Javier Prado Named for Philosopher, Professor
By Virginia Vickers Braun

The summer home built by Gen. Mariano Ignacio Prado, known as the Prado Museum, still can be seen in Chorrillos near the intersection of Avenida Lima and the Quebrada Tendrini, about 20 meters from Calle la Bajada Agua Dulce and the bridge. This house, which is still owned by members of the Prado family, once housed Javier Prado's extensive library. Some of his museum collection also can be seen at the Museo de Arte de la Exposicion on Avenida Colon. Photo by Jim Rudolph

One of Lima's main streets, Javier Prado, was named for Javier Prado y Ugarteche, a philosopher, professor, diplomat, and writer, who was a member of one of Lima's most aristocratic and cultured families. He was born Dec. 3, 1871, in Lima and died tragically on June 25, 1921, at the age of 49.

Javier Prado was the son of Magdalena Ugarteche and Gen. Mariano Ignacio Prado, who was president of Peru from 1865-68 and 1876-79 during the war with Chile, and the brother of Manuel Prado y Ugarteche, president of Peru from 1939-45 during the conflict with Ecuador and again from 1956-62.

Prado entered San Marcos University at age 15, graduating in 1891, and three years later graduated with a degree in law. He joined the faculty at San Marcos, where he taught literature, art history and philosophy. He was dean of the Faculty of Letters from 1907-15 and served as president of San Marcos University from 1915-21. A distinguished professor, Prado was awarded the prestigious title of Maestro de la Juventud in 1917. The following year he founded the university's museum of archeology and natural history, which bears his name.

Politically active, he was a member and leader of the Civil Party. He was elected to the Senate from Lima and served two terms, 1907-13 and 1919 until his death. At age 30, he served as ambassador to Argentina. Later he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, when he helped normalize relations with Chile and negotiated impoprtant agreements with Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia. He also served as a member of the Supreme Court, and in 1919, presided over the constitutional commission.

Highly regarded as an intellectual, Prado was a proponent of positivism, the theory that knowledge should be based on evolution and natural phenomena verifiable by the Scientific Method and the empirical sciences. He was the author of “Metodo positivo en el derecho penal” (1890), “Evolucion de la idea filosofica en la historia” (1891) and “El estado social del Peru durante la dominacion española” (1894). Prado also had a valuable library of more than 40,000 books containing priceless first editions and manuscripts, which was located in the family's summer home built by his father in Chorrillos, and a private museum with prehispanic, colonial and republican artifacts.

How Prado died remains a mystery. According to an article published in El Comercio June 25, 1921, he died “unexpectedly and violently” at his home on General La Fuente, located on the corner of Avenida Emancipacion and Jiron Camana in the Centro of Lima. He was found in his bed by his Japanese butler, who was bringing him his breakfast, as was customary, at 7 a.m.; a medical examination determined the time of death was at 5 a.m. In a paragraph subtitled “A Detail,” it was noted that Prado had uncharac-teristically left his front door unlocked, a fact which left open the possibility of foul play. Some people who remember hearing about his death have speculated that he committed suicide. Jorge Alverez von Maack, who article, “The Fabulous Prado Museum,” can be accessed via the internet, believes he was murdered elsewhere and his body brought back to the house.