José Vilalta Saavedra

José Villalta Saavedra (born January 27, 1862, Havana, - died March 16, 1912, Rome)[1] was a Cuban sculptor.

[2] Villalta created several important Cuban monuments and statues, including the statue of José Marti located in Havana's Parque Central (Central Park) (dedicated February 24, 1905) and the monument to Cuban engineer Francisco de Albear.

The sculptor won a national competition to create a memorial to eight Cuban medical students executed in 1871 by Spanish colonial troops.

[1] An upper-class woman, she died in childbirth in 1901 at age 23, and her stillborn son was placed at her feet when she was buried.

[3] According to legend, when the grave was opened years later, her corpse was intact – a sign of holiness – and her son was nestled in her arms.

Statue of José Martí in Parque Central, Havana , sculpted by Villalta Saavedra in 1905.
The main gate of Colon Cemetery in Havana . The Virtues atop the gate were sculpted by Villalta.
Statue of Francisco de Albear by Cuban sculptor José Villalta Saavedra in Havana