Helena Almeida: 'Seduzir' [To Seduce, 2002] (detail)

Collection

Ricardo León

Image caption
LORENZO COULLAUT VALERA

Ricardo León

  • 1912
  • Patinated bronze with marble pedestal
  • 56 x 26,5 x 25 cm
  • Cat. E_29
  • Comissioned from the artist in 1912
  • Observations: Adquirida en 1957.
By:
Isabel Tejeda

During the early decades of the 20th century, the employees of the Banco de España commissioned Lorenzo Coullaut Valera to make a number of works to show their appreciation either to the institution, its managers or a colleague. Coullaut made five pieces: two in the monumental sculpture style, one bust and two relief plaques. Apart for some minor details, all of these works follow the formal discourse typical of the Academy and use allegorical features common to that tradition.

In 1912, Coullaut Valera was commissioned to make this bronze bust of Ricardo León, a highly successful author at the start of the century while he was also working at the Banco de España. A member of the conservative Maurist political movement and a member of the Academy of the Language, his novel Amor de los amores sold over a million copies.

Isabel Tejeda

 
By:
Isabel Tejeda
Lorenzo Coullaut Valera
Marchena (Seville) 1876 - Madrid 1932

A descendent of the writer Juan Valera, Lorenzo Coullaut Valera was the patriarch of a long line of sculptors. He was succeeded by his son Federico (b. Madrid, 1912 – d. La Granja, Segovia, 1989) and later by his grandson Lorenzo (b. Madrid, 1944 – d. La Granja, Segovia, 2002). His work remained within the tradition of academic statuary, rooted in nineteenth-century discourses, albeit with modernist touches towards the end of his career. Although Coullaut was born in Andalusia and spent time in France – his father was a French engineer and Lorenzo moved to Nantes with his family in 1880 – he settled and set up his studio in La Granja de San Idelfonso in the mid-1880s. He is known to have studied with the Sevillian sculptor Antonio Susillo and with Agustín Querol. In 1897, he won his first award (an honorary mention) at the 1897 National Exhibition for a bust of his uncle Juan Valera, the novelist, whom he was to portray on other occasions.

Coullaut accepted quite a large number of commissions for public works, for which he created formally academic structures. Examples include his Monument to Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer (Seville, 1910); Monument to Campoamor (Madrid, 1914); Monument to Enrique Peinador (Mondariz, Pontevedra, 1919); Monument to the Álvarez Quintero Brothers (Madrid, 1934); Monument to Cervantes in the Plaza de España (Madrid, 1926-1930), completed by his son Federico and the Monument to Juan Valera (Madrid, 1928).

In 2002, the National Glass Centre Foundation organised an anthological exhibition of the work of Lorenzo Coullaut Valera and his decendants. In 1990, a museum of his work was opened at the Morón Gateway in Marchena.

Isabel Tejeda

 
 
Vv.Aa. Colección Banco de España. Catálogo razonado, Madrid, Banco de España, 2019, vol. 1.