''Indalecio Prieto Tuero'' or, simply, the Statue of Indalecio Prieto (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

: ''Estatua de Indalecio Prieto''), is an instance of public art located in

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the Largest cities of the Europ ...

, Spain. Located next the

Nuevos Ministerios Nuevos Ministerios () is a government complex in central Madrid, Spain. The complex houses several government departments: Development, Labour, Social Security, and Ecological Transition. It is located in the block delimited by the Paseo de la ...

building complex, it consists of a bronze statue depicting (and dedicated to)

Indalecio Prieto Indalecio Prieto Tuero (30 April 1883 – 11 February 1962) was a Spanish politician, a minister and one of the leading figures of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) in the years before and during the Second Spanish Republic. Early life ...

, minister of Public Works during the

Second Spanish Republic The Spanish Republic (), commonly known as the Second Spanish Republic (), was the form of government in Spain from 1931 to 1939. The Republic was proclaimed on 14 April 1931, after the deposition of King Alfonso XIII, and was dissolved on 1 ...

and promoter of the construction of the Nuevos Ministerios.

History and description

The robust bronze statue, standing over 4 metre high, is a work by

Pablo Serrano Pablo Serrano Aguilar, (8 March 1908, Crivillén, Teruel – 26 November 1985, Madrid) was a Spanish abstract sculptor. Personal life 1920–1925. Pablo Serrano studied as a boarder in the Escuelas Profesionales Salesianas in Sarriá (Barcel ...

. The sculptor told he had found inspiration in the Spanish patriotism displayed by Prieto in his famous 1936 speech in Cuenca. It was unveiled in December 1984, during a ceremony attended, among others, by Enrique Barón,

Joaquín Almunia Joaquín Almunia Amann (born 17 June 1948) is a Spanish politician and formerly, prominent member of the European Commission. During his tenure in the two Barroso Commissions, he was European commissioner responsible for economic and monetary a ...

and Julián Campo. The former minister is depicted wearing a Basque-style beret, and seemingly holds a bunch of books, reports and newspapers with his arm. It was, upon its inauguration, located steps away from an equestrian statue of dictator Francisco Franco, in opposing sides during the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, link ...

. Following the removal of the nearby statue of Franco on 17 March 2005, the statue of Prieto was vandalised, with vandals painting the colours of the flag of Spain on the statue. Not long after, in July 2005, the statue was vandalised again, being tagged with a pink pigment.

References

;Citations ;Bibliography * {{authority control Monuments and memorials in Madrid Outdoor sculptures in Madrid Sculptures of men in Spain Statues of politicians Vandalized works of art in Spain Buildings and structures in Ríos Rosas neighborhood, Madrid Bronze sculptures in Spain