Want to learn more about the fallen angel in Spain? Read on for facts and info on the statue of the fallen angel in Madrid, Spain…
The fallen into is the symbol of Lucifer in most Christian denominations. This theological belief states that the Fallen Angel was initially an angel up in Heaven who was exiled on the basis of his disobedience to God. Although most Christian nations would not want to honor the image of Lucifer, the Retiro Park in the capital city of Spain actually has a full fledged statue of the Fallen Angel.
The statue of the Fallen Angel is considered to be an artistic masterpiece and stands in the middle of an often frequented public park in Madrid. Unlike what most people assume, the statue does not depict an evil looking devil rather it is an image of an angel with wings quite similar looking to an ordinary man. This historic statue actually dates back to the 19th century.
In recent years there has been a feud over the ownership of the statue. The Prado Museum, which is one of the largest and more renowned museums of Spain laid claim to the statue stating that it should be transferred into the ownership of the museum. One of the unique things about the statue is that it is the only statue in public with its specific theme. Hence it is considered to be precious by art buffs in the country. However the claim made by the museum has been rejected by the city of Madrid’s mayor, Jose Maria Alvarez de Manzano, who stated that the statue was actually public property and could not, as such, be removed from its current location. This claim has come about after the massive expansion of exhibition space by the Prado Museum.
Following the expansion, the Prado has started making a series of controversial claims to numerous works of art scattered across the country. The objective of the museum authorities is to add these works of art to their collection. The museum has made a total of 126 claims up till now and the total number of art works spread across the country exceeds the 4000 mark. The Prado’s officials had aimed too acquire the various art pieces prior to the completion of the museum’s infrastructure. However they had not anticipated the kind of a stiff response from the governing authorities. As a result their progress has stalled.
Ricardo Bellver is the 19th century sculptor that is responsible for producing the statue of the Fallen Angel. It was later cast in bronze to be displayed in the Exposition Universelle of 1878. The architect Francisco Jareno was tasked with designing a granite pedestal for the statue once it was decided that it was going to be placed in Retiro Park. The monument in its totality was inaugurated in 1885 and measures a total of seven meters in height.
