Minero de Almadén

Miner from Almadén

Almadén is a town known for its mines, which are its lifeblood and of which the miner is a symbol. Julio Antonio wanted to capture the essence of the location and its inhabitants.

In the words of Adolfo Sotelo Vázquez: “Almadén was the perfect enclave for the sculptor:  in addition to personal reasons, there was his decisive encounter with the working world, with the miners, a suitable representation of traditional life, from the popular to the authentic. Consequently, the young sculptor from Tarragona, adopting Unamuno’s mandate, delves into the people to extract from them their living soul, their eternal and universal values”.

The Minero de Almaden bust is the representation of a svelte young man, with a fibrous torso and removed of all clothing. The serenity of his face and the dignity with which Julio Antonio represented him gives it a character inherent to the ancient classic sculptures. The ennobling of the harsh occupation of these people contrasts with the dramatisation with which other artists have dealt with the same subject.

“With his bare chest, front-facing stance, he represents the manifestation of personal pride. There is no misery when the man looks inward: he is deep in thought. The strength of his torso is balanced by his moral energy”. Martín González

Minero de Almadén is an anonymous person; Julio Antonio does not wish to explain any story or reveal any attribute or ornament in the sculpture. He is interested in representing an archetype, in producing a portrait of the period and a specifically geographical one, but without ever abandoning the classical and Mediterranean character he confers upon his works.

Adolfo Sotelo Vázquez (p. 62-63; Actes del Col·loqui Julio Antonio, escultor (1889-1919)