Fallen Angel

Madrid is the only capital in the world which has built a monument dedicated solely to the devil. The fountain of the Fallen Angel "La Fuente del Angel Caido" located in the Retiro gardens, takes as its theme the expulsion from paradise in which Lucifer is shown being banished and embodying the spirit of evil which has sway over him. Created by Ricardo Bellver and inaugurated in 1885, this monument leaves a striking effect of tension, expressivity and drama which are characteristic of the series of sculptures known as Laocoon and his two sons. Built on a circular stand, it rises above the observer on a granite pedestal shaped like a truncated pyramid whose lower base displays eight faces of evil in four groups of two, holding in their hand snakes, lizards and dolphins.

said wesmfmm 3 months 19 days ago

The Sculptor, Ricardo Bellver, studied at the San Fernando Royal Academy of Art, and finished his sculptural education in Rome as a grant holder. He became well-known because of this sculpture: The Fallen Angel (El Angel Caido, 1877), a work inspired by a passage from John Milton's "Paradise Lost", and which represents Lucifer falling from Heaven. The sculpture, of great dramatism and originallity, obtained the First Medal at the Spanish National Fine Arts Exhibition in 1878, and the same year was cast in bronze for the third Paris World's Fair. Later on, the Prado Museum donated it to the City of Madrid, and in 1885 it was installed in a square with the same name in the Retiro Park (the largest one in Madrid). For that purpose, architect Francisco Jareño (1818–1892) designed a pedestal of granite, bronze and stone. The success of this work made Bellver been accepted as academician. He was director of the Arts and Works School in Madrid.

said wesmfmm 3 months 19 days ago

Hi Francisca, niet gek dat je gegrepen bent door deze engel. Het is een geweldig mooi monument. Ik heb hem zelf ook nog een keer vastgelegd in mijn album Impressions of Madrid. Ik heb het monument toen niet zo duidelijk van dichtbij kunnen gezien, maar dat heb jij voor mij nu ruimschoots goedgemaakt. Kennelijk ben je nog bezig met dit album want tijdens mijn bezoek zijn er nog drie foto's bijgekomen. Ik zal dus nog een keer opnieuw komen om het compleet te zien! Saludos, Tjebbe

said oomt 3 months 19 days ago

Nice captures and a very good explanation about it. Very interesting.

said police370 3 months 13 days ago

Hi Francisca, This is a beautiful and interesting album. I suspect that the fallen angels are very cruel and evil. Thanks for sharing it, with us. All The Best, Teresa

said teres187 3 months 12 days ago

this is an amazing work of evil, and such shock on Lucifer's face as he realizes what has happened.

said trueblvr 2 months 10 days ago