Description
Celia Sánchez Manduley 1920- 1980. This miniature bust is perfect for desks, side tables and mantle pieces. Celia’s selfless commitment to Cuban independence and her fierce but nurturing nature earned her the nickname of The mother of all Cubans, and sometimes referred to as Cuba’s Wildflower for smuggling rebel messages between the petals of the Mariposa (Cuba’s national flower).
Celia was the first female in the Cuban revolution to fire a gun, she played a crucial role in the downfall of the cruel and corrupt US backed Batista dictatorship with her remarkable ability to plan and organise the guerrilla fighters. This bust is a limited run of 50 pieces, I chose Celia to pay homage to with this piece, not only because of her incredible skills and effort to free Cuba, but to also draw attention to the huge and often overshadowed contributions of female revolutionaries. Her hair tied in a traditional bun, I’ve placed the national flower on her left hand side.
The off white base is made of reconstituted stone, the bust itself is cold cast bronze. The total height of the sculpture is 95mm( just under 4″), the width is 50mm and it weighs around 240g. I’ve applied felt feet to prevent scratching your furniture. No two will be totally identical as they’re made by hand, and aged for that genuinely revolutionary feel, but all will appear very similar to the photos. As with everything on my site, money raised by your purchase goes to support Cuba Vive, the Cuban Medical Aid Appeal.
A brief biography:
Born in 1920 in Media Luna, Celia became involved in opposing the regime of Fulgencio Batista during the 50’s after witnessing the immense persecution the people suffered at his and his henchmen’s hands. After the failed Moncada Barracks attack in 1953 (M-26-7) she helped organise underground support networks and safe houses for rebel forces, in 1956 helping plan the Granma attack which brought Fidel and his men back from Mexico to eventually free Cuba.
After the revolution, Sanchez held important government roles she was influential in the development of social institutions and projects such as Havana’s Lenin Park and the Coppelia Ice Cream Parlour. Her funeral in 1980 was the only time Fidel Castro was publicly seen to cry, and she continues to be celebrated as both a key architect of the revolution and of women’s rights.
Recommended further reading:
Celia Sanchez Manduley: The Life and Legacy of a Cuban Revolutionary by Tiffany Sippial
One Day in December: Celia Sanchez and the Cuban Revolution by Nancy Stout
