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Bernardo de Gálvez

Bernardo de Gálvez is a monument by sculptor Juan de Ávalos dedicated to Bernardo de Gálvez and installed in the center of Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The sculpture commemorates Gálvez’s key role in the American War of Independence. A member of an aristocratic Spanish family, he served in the military from the age of 16 and later became governor of Louisiana. During the war, he supported the American revolutionaries with supplies and military action against the British, helping to secure victories at Fort Bute, Baton Rouge, Natchez, and Pensacola. He was later made a count and posthumously honored as an honorary citizen of the United States.

Bernardo de Gálvez equestrian statue on a tall stone pedestal surrounded by trees.
The Bernardo de Gálvez statue stands on a tall pedestal amid dense greenery in Washington, D.C.
June 2013 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Bernardo de Gálvez bronze equestrian statue on a stone pedestal, seen from below against tree branches and sky.
The Bernardo de Gálvez equestrian statue stands on a stone pedestal beneath the trees.
October 2014 © · CC0
Bernardo de Gálvez equestrian statue on a tall stone pedestal surrounded by trees.
The Bernardo de Gálvez Memorial features a bronze equestrian statue mounted on a tall stone pedestal.
© NPS Photo · Public domain
Bernardo de Gálvez equestrian bronze statue on a tall stone pedestal in a tree-lined park
The Bernardo de Gálvez equestrian statue rises on a tall pedestal in a landscaped park with trees and nearby buildings.
October 2014 © · CC0
Bernardo de Gálvez bronze equestrian statue seen from behind on a stone pedestal.
Bernardo de Gálvez bronze equestrian statue viewed from behind, framed by trees and city buildings.
October 2014 © · CC0

Identification

TitleMonument to Bernardo de Gálvez
Alternative titleBernardo de Gálvez
TypeOutdoor equestrian bronze statue monument
SeriesStatues of the Liberators
Number in seriesOne of five statues

Historical context

Dedication dateJune 3, 1976
Gift occasionThe U.S. Bicentennial, the 200th anniversary of American independence
Historical contextInstalled 200 years after the American Revolution and the American Revolutionary War (1776–1783)

Creator

Pedestal designerNot named in the provided fragment
Sculptor locationMadrid, Spain
SculptorJuan de Ávalos

Discovery and provenance

DonorKing Juan Carlos I of Spain
Recipientthe people and government of the United States
Place castSpain
Original intended locationfederal land in Washington, D.C.
U.S. approvalApproved by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission, and President Gerald Ford; Senate Resolution No. 94-287 was adopted on May 21, 1976, following Senate Memorandum No. 3031 introduced by Senator Joseph Montoya on February 25, 1976
Arrival in the United StatesArrived with an oval pedestal

Physical characteristics

DimensionsStatue: 12 by 13 by 6 feet; pedestal: 15 by 13 by 6 feet
MaterialsBronze statue on a gray granite pedestal
FormEquestrian statue

Appearance

ClothingMilitary uniform with a long jacket with epaulettes, a shirt with a lace collar, and knee-high boots
Objects heldLeft hand holds the horse’s reins; right hand holds a tricorn hat
Sword locationHung on the left side of the saddle
HairHair tied in a bun
InscriptionsFront inscription in Spanish: "BERNARDO DE GALVES (COUNT OF GALVES) 1746–1786"; right-side inscription in Spanish: excerpted speech by His Majesty Don Juan Carlos I, King of Spain, delivered at this place on June 3, 1976
Inscription languageSpanish
Depicted poseGálvez is shown mounted on a calmly standing horse, with both rider and horse facing left

Location and ownership

VisibilityConsidered one of the least known landmarks in Washington, D.C.
Current locationCenter of Gálvez Park, Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C., United States
SettingLocated among large trees and shrubs, reached by a cobblestone path from the sidewalk
Nearby landmarksNear the headquarters of the Organization of American States; near the U.S. Department of State; east of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; near Farragut West station

History and restoration

Unveiling ceremonyFormal ceremony attended by the Spanish honor guard and American officials
Temporary baseInitially installed on railroad ties after the planned oval pedestal was rejected
Permanent pedestalLater placed on a permanent pedestal designed by an architect and executed by Roubin and Janeiro and North Carolina Granite Corporation
Condition assessmentIn 1993, Save Outdoor Sculpture! rated the monument's condition as good

Significance

Dedication remarksAt the dedication, Gerald Ford said Spain and America could proudly remember Bernardo de Gálvez and that Washington would soon receive the statue as a generous Bicentennial gift; Juan Carlos I described Gálvez as a great Spanish soldier who helped George Washington's army and said the statue should remind people of Spain's contribution to American independence