{"id":13176,"date":"2018-05-03T12:07:24","date_gmt":"2018-04-30T12:45:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.museunacional.cat\/?p=13176"},"modified":"2018-05-03T12:03:12","modified_gmt":"2018-05-03T12:03:12","slug":"eusebi-arnaus-sculpture-of-barcelona-recovers-all-its-force","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.museunacional.cat\/en\/eusebi-arnaus-sculpture-of-barcelona-recovers-all-its-force\/","title":{"rendered":"Eusebi Arnau\u2019s sculpture of Barcelona recovers all its force"},"content":{"rendered":"
\u00c0lex Masalles<\/h6>\n

Among the white marble sculptures in the Dome Hall of the Museu Nacional, there is, to the left of the door to the restaurant, a work in bronze with a dark patina mounted on a base of Montju\u00efc stone. It is an allegorical representation of the city of Barcelona by the sculptor Eusebi Arnau<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Eusebi<\/a>

Eusebi Arnau, Bust of a Noblewoman Representing Barcelona<\/a><\/em>,\u00a0<\/strong>1897. Bronze and Montju\u00efc stone<\/p><\/div>\n

The 1897 original<\/h3>\n

The original plaster model of this bust, signed and dated in 1897, was part of the project presented by the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch in the competition held in 1896 by Barcelona City Council to erect a monument to Francesc de Paula Rius i Taulet, a former mayor of the city.<\/p>\n

This project won second prize and the council purchased the work for 500 pesetas, to put it in the Museu de Belles Arts<\/strong>. The plaster bust accompanied the model that appeared with number 5 and the motto “Mirau-la;\u00a0os de mos ossos<\/em>, s’\u00e9s feta\u00a0gran com jo<\/em>!” (Behold; bone of my bones, it has grown as large as me!) (a verse from Oda a Barcelona<\/em> (Ode to Barcelona) by Jacint Verdaguer<\/a>, last verse, second stanza).<\/p>\n

The present one cast in bronze was made in 1906 at the Masriera i Campins S.A. Artistic Foundry in Barcelona. The founder\u2019s mark is clearly visible on the figure\u2019s left shoulder.<\/p>\n

\"Detail<\/a>

Detail of the founder\u2019s mark, of Masriera i Campins, on the figure\u2019s left shoulder<\/p><\/div>\n

Arnau repeated the iconography on the obverse of a medal made in 1907 for the 5th Barcelona International Art Exhibition, on which he incorporated the bust of the representation of the city of Barcelona, now in profile, with a crown, chinstrap and laurel leaves.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Eusebi Arnau, Obverse and reverse of the bronze medal of the 5th Barcelona International Art Exhibition<\/a>, 1907<\/p><\/div>\n

What old photographs show us<\/h3>\n

Thanks to an old black-and-white photograph of the bronze cast conserved in the museum\u2019s Modern Art department we know that the figure originally wore a crown incorporating an articulated chinstrap (in the manner of a chain fastening the crown under the chin), with different coats of arms related to the city of Barcelona. These elements framed the noblewoman\u2019s face and gave it the aura of solemnity required by the allegorical representation of the city.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>

An old photograph of the complete original bronze, conserved in the museum.<\/p><\/div>\n

For many years the chinstrap was missing from the sculpture, and it presented an image quite different to its original iconography.<\/p>\n

Luckily, two pieces had been conserved in the museum Register that belonged to the articulated chinstrap of the bronze in the museum: a coat of arms with the cross of Saint George and a hinge in the form of a fleur de lis. Once the criteria had been agreed upon with the conservators, these made it possible to tackle the reincorporation of the missing parts, taking advantage of the stay by the interns from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Andrea Barbar\u00e0 and Mario Vazza.<\/p>\n

\"Detail<\/a>

Detail of the only two pieces of the original chinstrap that were conserved<\/p><\/div>\n

There was very little existing photographic documentation: the cardboard box in which the pieces of the original chinstrap were kept has a small, virtually unknown black-and-white photograph of the original plaster model stuck on its lid.<\/p>\n

\"Detail<\/a>

Detail of the 1897 plaster model. Digitization of the photograph stuck on the lid of the box that contained two original pieces of the chain<\/p><\/div>\n

Studying them has shown us two important aspects of the sculpture:<\/p>\n