MADRID.- A monumental figure has returned to its rightful place, gracing the tranquil garden of the Sabatini building at the Museo Reina Sofía. Pablo Gargallo's powerful sculpture, Grand Prophète (Great Prophet), created in 1933, is once again on public display, offering visitors a chance to connect with a masterpiece of modern Spanish art.

Standing over two meters tall, this striking patinated bronze figure had been exhibited until 2021. Its return to the garden marks a significant moment for the museum, coinciding with the temporary departure of Joan Miró's beloved "Lunar Bird." Miró's 1966 sculpture is currently on loan to the Llotja de Palma for the upcoming exhibition Paysage Miró. De les trobades i de l’atzar en Miró, set to open on July 16, a collaboration to which the Reina Sofía Museum is contributing other pieces.

Grand Prophète is considered the crowning achievement of Pablo Gargallo (1881-1934), one of the leading figures of modern Spanish sculpture in Paris, alongside giants like Julio González and Pablo Picasso. Gargallo was renowned for his innovative use of metal and his ability to transform natural forms into stylized, expressive works.

This particular sculpture is a testament to his vision. Conceived on a grand scale, its transparent bronze form would have been impossible to achieve with earlier metalworking techniques. Gargallo originally modeled the figure in plaster, but due to financial challenges, the bronze casting was only completed posthumously in 1936.

The theme of the prophet was a recurring motif for Gargallo, appearing in his work as early as 1904. He explored the subject in various forms, including the copper bust Étude de Prophète from 1926, also part of the museum's collection.

Grand Prophète quickly became an icon of 20th-century avant-garde sculpture. Gargallo himself exhibited the plaster version in successful solo shows in 1934 at the Brummer gallery in New York and the Sala Parés in Barcelona. Its significance was further cemented when E. Tèriade, editor of Cahiers d’Art, featured it in the surrealist magazine Minotaure that same year.

Now, this imposing and historically rich sculpture once again stands tall in the Sabatini Garden, inviting contemplation and admiration from all who visit the Reina Sofía Museum.