In 1884, the famous painter Juan Manuel Blanes, from Uruguay, is asked to create a portrait of José Artigas. There is only one drawing of his face, done in his old age so Blanes must imagine what he looked like by reading up on his ideas and learning about his life.

A story set in Uruguay in 1993. It revolves around an investigation by a law court lawyer, Julia. She's looking into the possibility that a chemist named Eugenio Barrios is being secretly sheltered in Uruguay by right-wing political powers.