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Monument to Viriato, Zamora

Monument to Viriato, Zamora is a sculptural work by the Zamora-born artist Eduardo Barrón González, located in Viriato Square in Zamora, Spain. It depicts the shepherd-chieftain Viriato in bronze, confronting the Roman consuls. The monument was erected at the end of 1903 in a square then known as Cánovas del Castillo, which later came to be popularly called Viriato Square. The ensemble consists of an upright statue, a granite pedestal, and a fence. An inscription on the pedestal reads Terror romanorum, attributed to Orosius, meaning “Terror of the Romans.” Twenty years passed between the sculpture’s execution and its installation in the square.

Monument to Viriato, a dark metal warrior sculpture on a large boulder behind an iron fence.
The Monument to Viriato stands on a large boulder in a public square in Zamora.
December 2016 © · CC0
Monument to Viriato showing a dark warrior statue on a rocky base beside a stone building.
The Monument to Viriato in Zamora, with the warrior statue set on a rough rock formation.
May 2009 © · Public domain
Monument to Viriato showing a barefoot warrior statue on a stone base, raising one hand and holding a dagger.
The Monument to Viriato in Zamora, with the warrior statue shown from a low angle against an overcast sky.
August 2013 © · CC BY 2.0
Close-up of the Monument to Viriato showing a dark metallic ram head with spiraled horns on a stone base.
Close-up detail of the Monument to Viriato, showing its dark metallic ram head and spiraled horns.
August 2013 © · CC BY 2.0
Bronze ram head at the Monument to Viriato, with blue and white ceramic vessels in front of a stone pillar.
The Monument to Viriato with a bronze ram head detail and ceramic vessels displayed in front.
June 2012 © · CC BY-SA 3.0

Identification

TitleMonument to Viriato, Zamora
TypeSculptural ensemble
SubjectViriato (Viriathus)

Historical context

DateExecuted in 1883; erected in late 1903 / at the end of 1903; unveiled by passers-by on 12 January 1904
PurposeOriginally intended for the National Exhibition of Fine Arts of 1884; later promoted as a public monument for Zamora in gratitude for a scholarship funded by the Provincial Council of Zamora in Rome

Creator

SculptorEduardo Barrón González
Sculptor's originZamora

Discovery and provenance

ReductionA bronze reduction made in 1885 is in the Museum of Zamora, Sala de la Ciudad; another reduction is owned by the Museum of Romanticism, Madrid
Acquisition dateSince 1971, when the Museo del Prado absorbed the collections of the Museum of Modern Art
Current custodyOn deposit with the City Council of Zamora
Inventory numberE612
AwardSilver medal
Current ownerMuseo del Prado
Exhibited atNational Exhibition of Fine Arts of 1884; plaster model shown at the Museum of Modern Art, and the original at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts
Bought byThe Spanish State
Inscription on base"El Barrón" and "Roma 1883"
Cast atAlessandro Nelli's workshops in the Vatican, Rome

Physical characteristics

ComponentsStanding bronze statue, granite pedestal, fence, and a battering ram at the base
Figure height2 metres
Figure postureStanding, almost naked, full-body figure with right arm extended as if rallying troops
Arm and hand positionLeft forearm holds a tunic and the left hand grasps a sheathed sword
PatinaGreen

Materials

Pedestal originMade from a granite block from , one of the claimed birthplaces of Viriathus
Pedestal materialGranite
Additional bronze element materialBronze
Figure materialBronze

Technique

Cast date1903
Pedestal transportBrought from the Arcillo quarries in two pieces by ox-drawn cart

Appearance

Sword hiltThe sword handle is unusually long and has prompted phallic interpretations from certain angles, especially in photographs taken from the plaza's cobblestone pavement
Battering ramA bronze battering ram emerges from the front side of the granite block

Inscription and meaning

Pedestal inscriptionTerror romanorum
Inscription attributionAttributed to Orosius
Inscription meaning"Terror of the Romans"; an epithet for Viriathus in Orosius' chronicles

Location and ownership

Current position within squareOne of the corners
Original position within squareCenter of the square
Square later nameViriato Square
Original site within cityThe square in front of the Palace of the Counts of Alba and Aliste
Square former nameCánovas del Castillo Square
LocationViriato Square, Zamora, Spain

History and restoration

InstallationPlaced at the end of 1903
Official inaugurationNever officially inaugurated
Public unveilingNoticed by passers-by on 12 January 1904
RelocationMoved about 6 meters west during remodeling works in 1971; plane trees were planted in its former place
Public receptionThe pedestal was heavily criticized in the early 2000s and compared to a "castaña pilonga" (a dried chestnut)

Significance

Historical referenceViriato confronted the Roman consuls
Political interpretationThe posture was interpreted as a Roman salute and later embraced by the Falange during the Francoist dictatorship
StatusConsidered a symbol of modern-day Zamora