The Monument to Romanones is an instance of public art in

Guadalajara Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the list of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Me ...

, Spain. Designed by

Miquel Blay Miguel Blay y Fàbregas (in Catalan, ''Miquel Blay i Fàbregas'') (8 October 1866, Olot - 22 January 1936, Madrid) was a Spanish sculptor. Biography Blay was born in the city of Olot, in the province of Girona to a humble family. He begins ...

, it consists of a bronze bust of

Álvaro Figueroa Torres Álvaro (, , ) is a Spanish, Galician and Portuguese male given name and surname (see Spanish naming customs) of Visigothic origin. Some claim it may be related to the Old Norse name Alfarr, formed of the elements ''alf'' "elf" and ''arr'' "warrior ...

put on top of a pedestal, with other sculptural items around.

History and description

The monument was an initiative of the teachers' associations in the province of Guadalajara, in appreciation for the 1901 Royal Decree promoted by Romanones which made possible the inclusion of the teachers' salaries and other expenses within the State's budget. The design was awarded to

. The monument was unveiled on 16 October 1913, during a ceremony in which (Minister of Public Instruction), the Mayor of Guadalajara and (Mayor of Madrid), intervened as speakers, also attended by the likes of (Director of the Geographic Institute) and (Under-Secretary of Public Instruction). It was erected when Romanones was still alive, in Guadalajara, the electoral district where Romanones had built his strongest political client networks. Besides the bronze bust of Romanones topping off the monument, the sculptural ensemble also displays a teacher (''Wisdom'') and a student (''Learning''). The latter is depicted collecting the 1901 royal decree from the hands of Romanones. When commented about the inauguration, Romanones (serving as prime minister at the time) reportedly threatened with removing his statue stating as follows: "Well then, I will go there with my guards one morning and I will remove it. I think the effigy already belongs to me, just as a photograph belongs to the person being photographed". The monument underwent a restoration in 2013, consisting of its cleaning as well as the sealing of cracks and holes in the bronze pieces.

References

{{authority control Buildings and structures in Guadalajara, Spain Monuments and memorials in Castilla–La Mancha Bronze sculptures in Spain Outdoor sculptures in Spain Statues of politicians Sculptures of men in Spain