The Monumental Legacy of Pablo Gargallo in Barcelona
Discover the monumental sculptures that Pablo Gargallo made in Barcelona between 1927 and 1929.
Pablo Gargallo in his house on Parque Montsouris Street, 3 (Paris) in 1932Pablo Gargallo Museum
Who was Pablo Gargallo?
The Aragonese sculptor Pablo Gargallo (1881-1934) was one of the most important artists of the Spanish and international avant-garde of the 20th century. Throughout his career, he combined classicism with experimentation, introducing a fundamental element: emptiness.
Sculptures in Plaça de Catalunya
In June 1927, the Barcelona City Council invited Gargallo to present three sketches of sculptures for the project to decorate the Plaça de Catalunya. In September he signed the contracts for the execution of The Shepherd with the Flute, The Harvester and The Shepherd with the Eagle.
The flute shepherdPablo Gargallo Museum
The Shepherd with the Flute
The sculpture, made of stone from Paris, although Montjuic stone was originally planned, was installed in Plaça de Catalunya. It was restored in 1986, but in order to prevent its deterioration, it was finally removed and replaced by a reproduction.
The flute shepherd (1927) by Pablo Gargallo CatalánOriginal Source: Ceres. On line collections
The Pablo Gargallo Museum preserves a bronze example of the model of this sculpture.
The eagle shepherd (1928) by Pablo Gargallo CatalánOriginal Source: Ceres. On line collections
The Shepherd with the Eagle
Together with the other shepherd, this sculpture by Pablo Gargallo is still installed in one of the niches of the Plaça de Catalunya in Barcelona.
The grape harvesterPablo Gargallo Museum
The Harvester
This work, which Gargallo titled Bucolic at the time of commissioning, would soon be moved from Plaça de Catalunya to the gardens of Montjuic, where it still remains.
The grape harvester (1927) by Pablo Gargallo CatalánOriginal Source: Ceres. On line collections
In this image we see the bronze specimen preserved in the Pablo Gargallo Museum.
Sculptures for the façade of the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic, Barcelona
For the Barcelona International Exhibition of 1929, Gargallo was commissioned to create four sculptures for the Montjuich Olympic Stadium: two Bigas in artificial stone and two riders in bronze, the latter currently known as the Olympic Salute.
Biga: male charioteer (sketch)Pablo Gargallo Museum
What are Gargallo's Olympic charioteers like?
As we can see in this sketch of the male charioteer, it is a representation of two athletes, in this case a man and in the other sculpture a woman, herding a chariot drawn by two horses facing each other, called bigas. Gargallo did not represent the whip.
Main facade of the Montjuich Olympic StadiumPablo Gargallo Museum
The onset of the Spanish Civil War put an end to Barcelona's plans to host the Olympic Games. The stadium fell into disuse until it was practically in ruins, and Gargallo's chariots deteriorated.
Biga: male charioteerPablo Gargallo Museum
In 1981, the athletes were moved to the Palacio de la Virreina, only to return permanently in 1989, coinciding with the renovation of the Montjuic Olympic Stadium for the 1992 Olympic Games.
Biga: female charioteerPablo Gargallo Museum
Meanwhile, the beams were subjected to a rigorous restoration by the sculptor Marta Polo, who created a polyester copy for the stadium.
Biga: male charioteerPablo Gargallo Museum
Here we can see the new polyester casting of Biga: male charioteer, made in 1989.
Biga: female charioteerPablo Gargallo Museum
And here is her companion Biga: female charioteer. The two beams are looking towards the Palau Sant Jordi.
Tap to explore
Thus, for the 1992 Olympic Games, the recently renovated Montjuic Olympic Stadium regained two of its most precious symbols and heritage elements of great value and importance.
Horse, I a (1927-28) by Pablo Gargallo CatalánOriginal Source: Ceres. On line collections
This original plaster model, found in the Pablo Gargallo Museum, is a model (about 1/3) of one of the four horses that were part of the two bigas.
Horse, II b (1927-28) by Pablo Gargallo CatalánOriginal Source: Ceres. On line collections
This bronze horse was part of the pair of steeds of the male charioteer's biga, and has been faithfully cast from the original, providing historical and documentary significance to Gargallo's monumental works.
Address: Plaza de San Felipe, 3 (Zaragoza)
Telephone: 976 72 49 22
Email: museogargallo@zaragoza.es
Schedule:
- Tuesday to Saturday: from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Sunday and holidays: from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Closed Monday
