Venancio Blanco (Spanish, 1923-2018), Horse and Rider

patinated bronze, signed and dated 1965, numbered edition V/VI, mounted atop a stone base.
15 1/2 x 10 1/4 x 6 1/2 in.
Sculptor Venancio Blanco was a native of the Spanish province of Salamanca, Madrid, where he lived and worked. He was known primarily for his modernist figural bronze figures favoring themes of religion, bullfighting, Classical figures, and flamenco. There have been numerous solo exhibitions of the artist's work held both in Spain and Italy, with works included in prestigious museums including Vatican Museum, Rome, Italy; Museum of San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts; Reina Sofia Musuem in Madrid; The Salamanca Museum of Fine Arts; among many others.

By 1959, Venancio had a large exhibit in Madrid and was awarded the Premio Nacional de Escultura (National Price for Sculpture). In 1963, he had his first US exhibit at Forum Gallery in New York. In 1981, Director of the Spanish Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. In 2001, the project for the Venancio Blanco Religious Museum was inaugurated, where the sculptor made a total of sixteen sculptures, all of them cast in bronze, with the exception of the Christ which was carved in pine wood.

Vanancio won many awards throughout his lifetime, including the National Sculpture Award (1959); Gold Medal for Sculpture in the National Exhibition of Fine Arts (1962); Grand Prize for Sculpture in the V Alexandria Biennale (Egypt); Gold Medal for Sculpture in the IV Salzburg Biennial of Sacred Art; Gold Medal in the X Art in Europe Exhibition, Brussels; First Prize in the International 'La Caza' Exhibition (Museum of Fine Arts of Budapest); Castile-Leon Art Award 2001.

Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.lelandlittle.com

Some edge chips to base; bronze with some scattered areas of verdigris and corrosion spotting.