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Fuente de la India

Fuente de la India is a fountain by Giuseppe Gaggini in Havana, Cuba, located at the southern end of Paseo del Prado, about 100 meters south of the Capitol, between Monte and Dragones streets. The figure depicts an Indian woman, “Havana,” after whom the city was named. It was first installed in 1837 outside the city walls, at the end of the Alameda, where a statue of King Carlos III had stood since 1803. Its unveiling was an important event for the young city of San Cristóbal. The fountain was later moved to Central Park in 1863, returned to its original site in 1875, and rotated again in 1928 to face the new Capitol building.

Fuente de la India fountain with a seated female statue and dolphin sculptures in a street median
Fuente de la India rises from a landscaped median in Havana, with a seated female figure atop the fountain.
1900 © Detroit Photographic Co., publisher · Public domain
Fuente de la India marble fountain with a crowned female statue and fish sculptures at the base in a sunny plaza
Fuente de la India, a marble fountain topped by a crowned female figure, stands in a bright historic square.
March 2016 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Fuente de la India stone fountain with a seated woman statue, carved sea creatures, and a surrounding iron fence.
Fuente de la India shown in an early photograph, with its seated female figure and ornate carved base surrounded by palms.
© · Public domain
Fuente de la India, a multi-tiered stone fountain with a seated classical female statue atop a tall pedestal in a tree-lined plaza.
Fuente de la India fountain in a spacious plaza, with a classical female figure rising above the basin.
1899 © · No restrictions
The Fuente de la India fountain in Havana with a seated female statue, adults and children gathered around it, and a large building and palm trees in the background.
The Fuente de la India in Havana, shown here with a seated female statue and people gathered around the fountain.
© · CC BY 4.0

Identification

TitleFuente de la India
TypeFountain
Alternative nameFuente de la Noble Habana
English translationFountain of the Indian woman
Original-language nameФуэнте-де-ла-Индия

Historical context

StyleNeoclassical

Creator

ArtistGiuseppe Gaggini
Commissioned byClaudio Martínez de Pinillos, 2nd Count of Villanueva

Discovery and provenance

Return date1875
Adjacent area changeThe adjacent area became Plaza de la Fraternidad
ReorientationRotated 90 degrees to face the new Capitol building
Reorientation date1928
Return locationIts original site on Paseo del Prado
Previous object at siteA statue of King Carlos III stood there from 1803 until the fountain was installed
Relocation destinationCentral Park (Parque Central)
Relocation date1863
Initial installation locationOutside the city walls at the eastern end of the Alameda, now Paseo del Prado
Brought from Italy1837
Modeling locationCarrara, Italy
Initial installation date1837

Physical characteristics

BaseQuadrilateral base with large shells
Support figuresFour dolphins, one at each corner of the pedestal
PedestalRectangular pedestal
HeightAbout 3 meters

Materials

MaterialWhite Carrara marble
MaterialWhite marble

Appearance

SubjectA young Indian woman named Habana
PoseSitting on a rock and looking east as if searching for something on the horizon
Facial featuresIndian face with a typical Greek female profile
Head adornmentFeather crown
Shoulder adornmentA quiver of arrows fastened to her left shoulder
Right-hand attributeAn oval shield with the original symbols of Havana
Left-hand attributeThe cornucopia of Amalthea filled with Cuban fruits and topped with a pineapple
Pedestal decorationLaurels and garlands

Technique

Water featureWater flows from the mouths of the four dolphins onto the shells at the base

Iconography and meaning

Represented figureThe Indian woman Habana, wife of the cacique Habaguanex
Named afterThe Indian woman Habana, after whom Havana was named
Historical interpretationHabaguanex was the pre-Columbian ruler of the area, and the capital of Cuba is believed to take its name from him
Opening significanceIts unveiling was an event in the then-young city of San Cristóbal de La Habana
Artistic criticismThe statue’s Greek profile was one of the strongest criticisms of the creator

Significance

Possible earliest photographSome historians say it was the first image captured by a photographer in the city
Associated photographerAntonio Rezzonico
Photograph dateBelieved to have been taken in the fourth decade of the 19th century

Location and ownership

Current locationSouthern end of Paseo del Prado, Havana, Cuba
OrientationFacing due north
Lighting effectThe statue’s face is always in shadow
Nearby buildings and areasAbout 100 meters south of the Capitol, between Monte and Dragones streets; near Palacio de Aldama and Hotel Saratoga; Campo de Marte in historical images