Monument to Maria Christina of Bourbon (Madrid)

Coordinates: 40°24′55″N 3°41′25″W / 40.415252°N 3.690414°W / 40.415252; -3.690414
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Maria Christina of Bourbon
María Cristina de Borbón
Map
40°24′55″N 3°41′25″W / 40.415252°N 3.690414°W / 40.415252; -3.690414
LocationCalle de Felipe IV, Madrid, Spain
DesignerMariano Benlliure (sculptor)
Miguel Aguado [es] (architect)
MaterialBronze, limestone, marble
Opening date25 June 1893
Dedicated toMaria Christina of Bourbon–Two Sicilies

The monument to Maria Christina of Bourbon (Spanish: María Cristina de Borbón) is an instance of public art in Madrid, Spain. Designed by Mariano Benlliure and consisting of a bronze statue of the aforementioned queen consort and regent of Spain and a stone pedestal with additional sculptural elements, the monument lies in front of the Casón del Buen Retiro.

History and description

Engraving by Bernardo Rico [es] published in the cover of La Ilustración Española y Americana on 30 June 1903 to account for the inauguration

Lobbied by General Manuel Pavía y Lacy,[1] the project for the monument was awarded to the architect Miguel Aguado [es] and to the sculptor Mariano Benlliure.[1]

The lower body serving as basement follows a polygonal shape, displaying a number of inscriptions commemorating several feats of the rule of Maria Christina: "conservatorio de música", "decreto de amnistía", "ministerio de fomento"; "estatuto de 1834"; "ciencias, artes y oficios"; "convención de vergara", "universidades del reyno".[1]

The pedestal lies above the basement;

Ferdinand VII
, in her role as governing queen during the illness of Ferdinand VII, preceding the latter's final demise in 1833).

The monument is topped by the bronze statue representing a full body figure of Maria Christina, holding the Royal Statute with her right hand while grabbing her mantle with the left hand.[1]

Below the Queen, seated on the pedestal, there is a marble classicist statue representing a female allegory of History, depicted with a naked nipple while holding a book that reads historia ("History").[2][3]

It was unveiled on 25 June 1893.

References

Citations
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Reparaz 1893, p. 418.
  2. ^ a b Díez 2013, p. 23.
  3. ^ Vega 2016, p. 172.
Bibliography
  • Díez, José Luis (2013). "El dominio de la escultura". Mariano Benlliure. El dominio de la materia (PDF). Madrid & Valencia: Dirección General de Patrimonio Histórico de la Comunidad de Madrid; Consorcio de Museos de la Comunitat Valenciana. pp. 17–29.
    ISBN 978-84-451-3458-0
    .
  • ISSN 1889-8394
    .
  • Vega, Elo (2016). "Las bárbaras. Presencia y ausencia de las mujeres en los monumentos coloniales de Madrid" (PDF). In López Cuenca, R (ed.). Los bárbaros. Madrid. pp. 163–187.
    ISBN 978-84-451-3568-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
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