▁of ▁the ▁ped est al ▁with ▁a ▁f ount ain ▁on ▁the ▁bottom ▁to ▁prevent ▁the ▁mem orial ▁be ▁painted . ▁ ▁Background ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 9 , ▁Chile ▁commission ed ▁for ▁Santiago ▁a ▁statue ▁to ▁comm emor ate ▁José ▁de ▁San ▁Martín ▁to ▁French ▁sculpt or ▁Louis - Jose ph ▁Da um as , ▁who ▁was ▁special ized ▁in ▁e quest rian ▁figures . ▁ ▁After ▁becoming ▁aware ▁of ▁the ▁Chile an ▁initi ative , ▁the ▁Argent in ian ▁government ▁commission ed ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁another ▁statue ▁to ▁Da um as . ▁It ▁was ▁placed ▁on ▁the ▁current ▁Pla za ▁San ▁Martín , ▁in ▁Buenos ▁Aires , ▁and ▁was ▁inaugur ated ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁Upon ▁the ▁request ▁of ▁different ▁provinces , ▁several ▁rep lic as ▁of ▁the ▁monument ▁were ▁built ▁and ▁sent ▁from ▁Buenos ▁Aires . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Neu qu én ▁created ▁the ▁Executive ▁Commission ▁for ▁Hom ages ▁to ▁General ▁San ▁Martin ▁() ▁to ▁ere ct ▁a ▁monument . ▁Through out ▁July , ▁the ▁commission ▁survey ed ▁the ▁possible ▁locations ▁in ▁town . ▁The ▁commission ▁suggested ▁to ▁place ▁the ▁monument ▁on ▁the ▁grounds ▁of ▁the ▁" Ch ate au ▁Gr is ", ▁the ▁town ▁hall ▁building ▁that ▁was ▁demol ished ▁on ▁that ▁year . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁the ▁commission ▁settled ▁to ▁locate ▁it ▁on ▁the ▁round about ▁of ▁the ▁inter sections ▁of ▁Eva ▁Per ón ▁Avenue ▁( current ly ▁named ▁Argentina