The Bronze Figure of Segismundo Moret in Cádiz

The Monument to Moret is a piece of public art in Cádiz, Spain, featuring a bronze statue of the Liberal politician Segismundo Moret. The figure stands atop a pedestal adorned with elaborated allegorical reliefs. Moret, who was considered a "favourite son" of the City of Cádiz, served as Overseas Minister during the abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico in 1870 and later served as prime minister in the early 20th century.

Funded via popular subscription, the design was awarded to Agustín Querol. The foundation stone was laid in February 1908, and the monument was unveiled on 28 November 1909. It was a relatively rare case of a monument inauguration when the honoree was still alive; Moret reportedly remarked that he disliked such tributes, feeling they might cost him displeasure due to the fickle nature of fortune for politicians. Conversely, the sculptor Querol died just a few days after the inauguration.

The bronze statue depicts the speaker with a serene expression, a venerable beard, and a characteristic mustache, clutching notes in his right hand. The four sides of the monument display inscriptions reading "patriotismo", "libertad", "lealtad", and "elocuencia". A marble cartouche on the front side reads "cádiz a moret".

The monument has moved several times, being relocated from the plaza de San Juan de Dios to the plaza de Sevilla in 1953, and then to the plaza de la Aduana in 1960. It was finally returned to its original location in 2012.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikimedia Commons