Labour and Virtue

These days, since I’ve been travelling to Old Havana by taxi instead of by bike, I’ve been thinking about carving out a moment to visit the National Capitol—one of those guided tours. I’ve already looked into the available times for these visits, and now it’s just a matter of aligning them with my own schedule.

In fact, the photos I’m showing you were taken from its grand staircase. Thanks to my 45–200 mm zoom lens, I was able to observe from there the various sculpted scenes on the front wall of this magnificent building. The statues that invite us to enter are representations of the Tutelary Virtue and Labour, sculpted by the Italian artist Angelo Zanelli and commissioned between the years 1926 and 1929, during the government of Gerardo Machado.

I’d never captured this angle of the Capitol before. And although I waited a while for the flag to unfurl more gracefully, it wasn’t quite enough—impatience always gets the better of me... haha... no, not really, I was just under pressure from another commitment.

Ever since I took these photos, I’d intended to convert them to Black and White—but looking closely at these three, it feels a shame to strip them of their colours... what do you think?

I’m quite drawn to the idea of stepping inside to admire the Capitol, as it’s been so many years since I last visited—and to be honest, I’m not even sure I still have the photos I took ages ago when I did...

I’d have to photograph the details of that door as well—can you see them? They’re magnificent. And once inside, I’ll be face to face with Zanelli’s other great sculpture, the Statue of the Republic, cast in bronze and gilded in 24-carat gold, standing at a total height of 17.54 metres (including the pedestal) and 14.6 metres without it. It’s the largest indoor statue in the Americas. I’ll tell you more soon—not just the technical details, but what standing in her presence makes me feel. 😉

Now I invite you to take in those details I mentioned, and the sculpted scenes that unfold across the façade. A new week begins—may our plans find their true course and take shape with grace.

Cheers!