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Work of the sculptor Venanci Vallmitjana i Barbany of 1898 and installed in its location in 1919. Registered as a Cultural Asset of Local Interest (BCIL) in the Inventory of the Catalan Cultural Heritage with the code 08019/1446. History and description Commissioned to Vallmitjana in 1913 for the intersection of Gran Via and Calle Bruc. He took advantage of a statue of the Roman goddess of the hunting Diana, which he had made years before, and which he had already presented at the 4th Barcelona Fine Arts Exhibition in 1898. Initially, this statue presented the naked goddess, but in the conservative council chaired by the mayor Joaquim Sagnier i Villavecchia did not like it and the sculptor had to modify and add a robe that covered his body. They also changed the location, which moved from Carrer Bruc to Roger de Llúria, where the Hotel Ritz was built in 1919, the author of which, Eduard Ferrés, won the architectural prize that year. by the City Council. The fountain was opened on December 12, 1919. The fountain was initially in the middle of a large parterre at the junction of the two streets, which was trimmed in the 1950's to encourage traffic. Currently the fountain stands on a small circular pond with a rocky base, on which stands a pedestal with two foundations - one square and the other circular - decorated with large shells on all four sides. On this is the figure of Diana, sitting in expectation with the bow in her hand, looking for some prey, as it corresponds to the hunting goddess. Besides the bow it only has a small moon on its head. The moment chosen is the time of stillness and action, since it is the moment before starting up, which indicates a tension that shows the influence of Michelangelo, especially in the configuration of arms and legs, located in a certain contrapposto. Likewise, facial expression also denotes Buonarrotian influence, because by means of the tension of the head and the strength of the eyes it manages to move the soul of the figure, in a manner similar to the David of the Florentine genius, which could be argued that this is one of the most accomplished works of Vallmitjana. The fountain was restored in 1987, and was reopened by Mayor Pasqual Maragall on November 16 of that year.
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