The missing sculpture of Gerardo Machado at Monumento a Cuba

The Monumento a Cuba is a fountain and sculptural group located in El Retiro Park in Madrid. While the project was approved in 1929 and worked on by Mariano Benlliure, Miquel Blay, Francisco Asorey, and Juan Cristóbal, the final assembly differs from the original vision. The original project included a bronze sculpture of Cuban president Gerardo Machado, but it was never added to the ensemble following delays in the inauguration.

The leading element on top of the monument is a female allegory of Cuba wearing a thinly draped tunic and a Phrygian cap, designed by Blay. The pedestal features the figures of Christopher Columbus by Asorey and Isabella I of Castile by Juan Cristóbal, along with the coat of arms of Cuba. From the sides of the pedestal, a bronze fore and an aft of a galleon by Benlliure emerge.

To provide water for the surrounding fountain, Benlliure added bronze iguanas, tortoises, and tropical fruits. The project faced significant delays due to political vicissitudes in both countries, including the renunciation of Primo de Rivera in 1930, the proclamation of the Second Republic in Spain in 1931, and the overthrow of Machado in Cuba in 1933. The monument was finally unveiled on 27 October 1952 to mark the 460th anniversary of the first voyage of Columbus.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by several officials, including the Mayor of Madrid, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and ambassadors from both Spain and Cuba. The completed fountain stands as a record of the historical timeline between the two nations during the early 20th century.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons