Comú Adds Bronze Bust of Dr. Josep Estadella to Viladomat Collection in Andorra
A bronze bust of Dr. Josep Estadella i Arnó, sculpted by exiled artist Josep Viladomat, joins the permanent Viladomat collection at Centre d’Art d’Escaldes-Engordany. The physician and poet lived in the parish for years, enriching its heritage.
Key Points
- Bronze bust sculpted by Josep Viladomat loaned from Estadella family for permanent CAEE exhibition.
- Dr. Estadella, ex-Spanish Minister of Labour, lived in Escaldes-Engordany from 1942-1950.
- Viladomat collection at CAEE now includes ~50 pieces; artist exiled to Andorra from Catalonia.
- Estadella wrote poetry inspired by Andorra, including *Corrandes i madrigals* (1946).
The Comú d’Escaldes-Engordany has expanded the permanent exhibition at the Centre d’Art d’Escaldes-Engordany (CAEE) by adding a bronze bust of Dr. Josep Estadella i Arnó, sculpted by Josep Viladomat. The work, secured through a temporary loan agreement with the Estadella Esterri family and facilitated by the Societat Andorrana de Ciències, will be on public display from tomorrow.
The bust now forms part of the dedicated Viladomat collection, which features around 50 pieces by the artist. Viladomat, who moved to Andorra following his exile from Catalonia, is celebrated through this longstanding exhibit. The addition also spotlights Dr. Estadella’s close ties to Escaldes-Engordany. A respected physician born in 1880 and who died in 1951, he held the role of Spain’s Minister of Labour and Social Welfare during the Second Republic. After time in Carcassonne, he resided in the parish from 1942 to 1950, playing an active part in its social and community life.
During those years in Andorra, as broadcaster Alfred Llahí once recalled, the Principality inspired Estadella to take up poetry. His Andorran works included Corrandes i madrigals (1946), Flautes al vent (1949), and Fites (1951). One line reflected his deep bond with the country: “Camino follament enamorat,/i cerco, entre les ombres, aclucat,/ l’alba frescor d’un raig de llum eterna”.
Comú officials described the move as part of ongoing efforts to protect, promote, and illuminate the parish’s cultural heritage alongside the contributions of its prominent historical figures.
Related Articles
Other articles from Catalan-language sources about the same story:
- El Periòdic•
El CAEE incorpora un bust de Josep Estadella cedit per la família i esculpit per l’artista Josep Viladomat
- Altaveu•
El centre d'art d'Escaldes incorpora un bust del doctor Josep Estadella, obra de Josep Viladomat
- Diari d'Andorra•
El Centre d’Art d’Escaldes suma una obra de Viladomat dedicada al doctor Josep Estadella