Spain Banknotes 25 Pesetas banknote 1928 Pedro Calderon de la Barca
Bank of Spain - Banco de España
Obverse: Portrait of Pedro Calderon de la Barca (1600-1681). Monument of Pedro Calderón de la Barca in Madrid.
Reverse: Crosses of the Order of Santiago. Rearing lion. Painting of Domingo Muñoz "La devoción de la Cruz".
Watermark: Woman's head.
Printer: Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. Ld., Grabadores, Londres.
Date of Issue: 15 August 1928.
Dimensions: 121 x 80 mm.
Texts: El Banco de España pagará al Portador Veinticinco Pesetas. Madrid, 15 de Agosto de 1928.
Spain Banknotes - Spain Paper Money
1928 Issue
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Pedro Calderon de la Barca
Pedro Calderón de la Barca y Barreda González de Henao Ruiz de Blasco y Riaño, usually referred as Pedro Calderón de la Barca (17 January 1600 – 25 May 1681), was a dramatist, poet and writer of the Spanish Golden Age. During certain periods of his life he was also a soldier and a Roman Catholic priest. Born when the Spanish Golden Age theatre was being defined by Lope de Vega, he developed it further, his work being regarded as the culmination of the Spanish Baroque theatre. As such, he is regarded as one of Spain's foremost dramatists and one of the finest playwrights of world literature.
Devotion to the Cross (La devoción de la cruz) Pedro Calderón de la Barca, ca. 1633
Eusebio loves Julia but is prevented from marrying her because of his low birth. When he persists in courting her, Eusebio is challenged to a duel by her brother Lisardo. Eusebio explains that though he was an abandoned child who was found at the foot of a cross, the symbol of which he bears in his flesh, his devotion to the Cross has several times caused his life to be miraculously saved. He therefore considers that he has acquired nobility. Lisardo, however, insists on a duel and is mortally wounded. Eusebio secretly visits Julia but is forced to hide when her father Curcio enters. The latter berates Julia for her behaviour, comparing it to that of her mother, who after he struck her in a jealous rage gave birth to her and to a now-lost brother at the foot of a cross.
Lisardo's body is brought in, and Julia, learning that Eusebio killed her brother, sends her lover away in despair. She is forced by Curcio to enter a convent; Eusebio becomes a bandit. One day he saves the life of a priest, who promises in return to come and confess him when he is dying. Unable to forget Julia, Eusebio breaks into her convent, intending to rape her. When, however, he sees the sign of the Cross on her breast, he flees in horror. Julia now resolves to follow him, and disguising herself as a man joins the bandits. Eusebio pleads with her to return to the convent. Eventually, Curcio tracks down Eusebio and mortally wounds him. As Eusebio dies, Curcio sees the cross on his breast and realises that this is his long-lost son.
True to his promise, the priest arrives to confess Eusebio, who miraculously returns to life long enough to be shriven. Learning that Eusebio is her brother, Julia despairingly confesses her sins. When Curcio raises his arm to strike her, she takes refuge at the foot of the cross near Eusebio's grave. She and the cross are miraculously lifted to heaven.
Monument of Pedro Calderón de la Barca in Madrid
This monument to Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600–1681) is at the Plaza de Santa Ana (square) in Madrid (Spain). It was made of marble and bronze by Joan Figueras Vila (1829–1881) in 1878 and inaugurated in 1880.
This white marble monument depicts the playwright life-sized and seated. His right hand is placed on the left hand, which rests on an upright book on his left thigh. Four reliefs on the pedestal depict scenes from four of his plays, "The Mayor of Zalamea" (El alcalde de Zalamea), "The Dance of Death" (La Danza de la Muerte), "The Hidden Man and the Covered Woman" (El escondido y la tapada) and "Life is a Dream" (La vida es sueño) which has been translated into English. Two high-relief sculpture represents "Poetry and War" (La Poesía y la Guerra and "Comedy and Tragedy" (La Comedia y la Tragedia".