Pamplona (EFE).- The Government of Navarra is working so that the sculpture “El togado de Pompelo”, a piece from the 2nd century after Christ found on Navarrería street in 1895, stays “permanently in Navarra”. For this, it negotiates its acquisition with the current owner.
He is an art collector from New York who “has always shown a good disposition” with sculpture and his relationship with Navarra. This is demonstrated by the fact that he has transferred it on deposit until the year 2024 and that he has allowed Navarra to carry out an exhaustive study of the piece.
As for the sale, “still no figures have been put on the table.” However, the regional government hopes that the owner “has a good disposition with a view to reaching a good agreement and this ‘togado’ stays definitively and permanently in our community.”
The President of the Government, María Chivite, has said this, who has visited the piece, which is exhibited in the Museum of Navarra, where an exclusive space has been set up through which in 2022 40,000 people have already passed.
Pompelo’s sculpture, an “exceptional” piece
Since his arrival in Navarra, various tests have been carried out with non-invasive techniques (X-rays and video-endoscopy, mainly) that have allowed him to study and better understand the characteristics of an “exceptional piece”. Its exhibition in Pamplona is “a milestone for our heritage”.
The work being carried out by the General Directorate of Culture – Príncipe de Viana Institution will make it possible to have a detailed and complete historical and conservation report. This will describe the physical characteristics and the current state of the sculpture of the Roman period.
At the event, accompanied by the Minister of Culture, Rebeca Esnaola, the president listened to the explanations of the director of the Museum Service, Susana Irigaray, who recounted the historical journey of the sculpture. Also, the head of the Registry, Archeology and Movable Property Section, Alicia Ancho, has exposed the studies carried out.
The remains of polychromy and even the remains of the excavation in which it was found give details of the vicissitudes of the sculpture. it appeared fragmented and in the 20th century it was assembled with reinforcing plates and rivets, so that it is “highly restored”.
Pompelo’s Robe is an exceptional bronze sculpture from the first half of the 2nd century AD, close to life size (127 centimeters high), without a head. This aspect could be explained by the practice of the time of making interchangeable busts for these statues.
It represents a male figure dressed in a long tunic and a toga, the name given to the large cloak worn only by Roman citizens and which was a garment of social distinction in public.
It surely represents a civil authority from the city of Pompelo and was placed in a public space. “These types of large-sized bronze Roman sculptures are very rare,” they recall from the Museum of Navarra. In fact, Pompelo’s is the second togado in this material known in Spain, after the one known as Togado de Periate, which is exhibited in the Archaeological and Ethnological Museum of Granada.
Sculpture discovered by chance
The sculpture was discovered in Pamplona by chance, during some works that were being carried out in Navarrería street in 1895. Since 1906 its track has been lost when its owner claimed it from the Monuments Commission, to whom he had entrusted it in deposit.
At some point in the early 20th century, El Togado left Spain, probably to France, and began a journey of transactions in the antiquities and works of art market of which only a few details are available. It is known, for example, that in the 70s he was in Versailles and in 1985 he had already gone to the United States.
In 2018 it was located in New York City and in May of last year, after signing an agreement with the current owner, it arrived at the Museo de Navarra for study and exhibition.