Monument to Benito Pérez Galdós

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria · Category: Art · Subcategory: Sculpture · Year: c. 1921-23 · Authors: Victorio Macho, Manuel Bethencourt

The work before us was finished in 1925, and stands high on an elevated pyramid shaped plinth, with access to the main side and conceived as a Roman sepulchre; sitting on top is the robust figure of a seated Galdós naked from the waist up. His face displays great expressiveness and termperament, with the piercing look that characterised him so much. In keeping with his simple style, Macho does away with details and allegories, which he used to refer to as "poppycock".

This piece introduces two important new and exclusive elements, in the sense that they would not be copied later on. We are referring to its conception as both a commemorative and funeral work, although it was never actually put  to its latter use. and to the weight carried by its meaning of "faro de raza" in terms of the place chosen to site it. 

The original by Victorio Macho (c. 1921-1923) is to be found at the Pérez Galdós House Museum [the reproduction dates from 1991 and is by Manuel Bethencourt]. The material used for this work is Lérida limestone. Its dimensions are 260 x 126 x 266 cm.

28.103107, -15.413561