El Retiro. Todos sus monumentos

Abstract

Mariano Domínguez Alcocer, El Retiro. Todos sus monumentos (Madrid: Turpin Editores, 2014). The book is a compact guide-catalogue containing over 120 photographs of the sculptural monuments in Madrid's Retiro Park, each accompanied by a technical caption with title, date, author, and a brief note on the work. The author, a well-known bookseller and cultural promoter from the Aluche neighbourhood known by the nickname «Petacho», states that he deliberately favoured a clear, documentary image over artistic effect, covering both iconic works such as the Fallen Angel and the Monument to Alfonso XII and lesser-known sculptures hidden among the trees. The reviewer regards the project positively, arguing that erudition and popularisation are not mutually exclusive, and notes that the book also gave rise to a photographic exhibition held at the Imprenta Municipal in Madrid between September and October 2014.