the coracero and dragon story
In 1925 Curatella Manes inspired by horse mounted gendarmes from the Dragons of the Republican Guard completes the piece called "Coracero" [Cuirassier].
This first version was very figurative and at this time Curatella Manes’ art had already a very abstract tendency, for that reason he abandoned the piece and was even on the verge of destroying it.
In 1927, he took up again the original idea of "Coracero", but with a more modern twist, he called this new version "El Dragon" [The Dragon], name inspired by the Dragons of the Republican Guard.
From "Coracero" (73 x 48 x 24) he made a casting during the 20's completed By C. Valsuani. That piece can be seen in the attached photo "Pablo at rue Saint Gille workshop"
This piece was auctioned at Drouot Richelieu on April 2005 under the wrong name "Le Dragon".
An apocryphal second copy with no copyright appeared during 2006.