A providential discovery in the heart of Madrid
The story behind this discovery has a particularly moving aspect: the sculpture was discovered by a former Salesian Past Pupil, who recognised in it the characteristic iconography of Don Bosco. His intuition, combined with his Salesian affection, prompted him to communicate the discovery.
The piece was found in an antique shop in El Rastro, the traditional Madrid neighbourhood market where memories, lost objects and unexpected treasures coexist. Despite the accumulated dust and the passage of time, the sculpture retained an unmistakable expressive power: Don Bosco accompanied by a young man, in a deeply Salesian composition.
After a process of documentation and study, it was confirmed that it was a plaster model made around 1974-1975 by Víctor González Gil (1912-1992), one of the most important Spanish sculptors of the 20th century in the field of religious iconography and public sacred sculpture. The work was part of the creative process of the Monument to Don Bosco in Astudillo (Palencia), inaugurated in 1975. The author’s signature on the image greatly facilitates this information.
A historical coincidence that speaks to the Salesian heart
The discovery takes on even more symbolic significance when we remember that Víctor González Gil was born in Talavera de la Reina (Toledo), a city where there was a Salesian house from 1914 to 1922. Although the sculptor was only a child in those years, the historical coincidence is striking: the author of one of the most emblematic representations of Don Bosco in Spain was born in a place where, during his childhood, the Salesians carried out intense educational and pastoral work. It is a detail that invites us to read this discovery as a small nod to history: Salesian art, mission and memory meet again.
A work that reveals the creative process of a master
This image is a plaster model that was conceived as part of González Gil’s traditional creative technique. Its heritage value is therefore exceptional: it allows us to understand the creative process behind the final monument and to study the author’s artistic language, characterised by humanised realism, restrained expressiveness and clear, pedagogical iconography.
The scene – Don Bosco standing, accompanied by a young man leaning on him with confidence – masterfully summarises the core of Salesian charism: closeness, accompaniment and integral education.
From forgotten object to living heritage
After being purchased at the El Rastro market, the sculpture underwent a process of cleaning and conservative restoration, respecting its nature and original characteristics. The Miguel Rúa community then decided to give it a destination that would combine its historical value with its spiritual function: to install it in the community chapel.
The blessing of this image took place during the community Eucharist on Monday, a regular time of fraternal gathering for the Miguel Rúa community. On this occasion, the celebration took on a special character thanks to the presence of the other Salesian community in Carabanchel, the Sacred Heart, which wanted to join in the gesture and share the joy of the recovery of this heritage asset. The presence of both communities reinforced the sense of family, continuity and shared mission that characterises Salesian life.
The arrival of this “new Don Bosco” therefore takes on an important meaning: it is not only a recovered work of art, but also and above all a symbol of identity, a fragment of Salesian memory that returns to pulsate in a new context. Its presence reminds us that heritage is not just a collection of objects, but a shared history and a legacy that is constantly being renewed.
The Miguel Rúa community thus celebrates not only the blessing of an image, but the return of Don Bosco, who once again accompanies, as he always wanted to, those who dedicate their lives to young people.
