Historic Sculpture Honoring Mothers Now On Display At Children's Board

TAMPA, FL — In time for Mother's Day, the sculpture titled "Honors to Mothers of the World (Honramos Dia de las Madres)" is on display to the public once again after being professionally treated and relocated by art conservators to its new site at the Children's Board of Hillsborough County, 1002 E Palm Ave., in Ybor City.

Created in 1930 by Cuban artist T. Ramos Blanco, the sculpture, originally commissioned by the Orden Caballero de las Luz, a Cuban fraternity, was donated to the city and dedicated on Mother’s Day in 1948.

"Honors to Mothers of the World" is a 6.5-foot sculpture that depicts a mother holding a baby as her two children reach up to give her flowers. Every year on Mothers Day, members of the Orden-Caballero De La Luz and the Tampa community have placed flowers around the statue.

The sculpture was originally installed at the University of Tampa in the 1940s. Since the 1970s, its home has been in Ybor City.

The city of Tampa removed the sculpture from the German American Club in 2018 when the building changed ownership. The city of Tampa's Arts & Culture Department had the sculpture professionally treated and placed in storage as the city searched for a place to ensure the statue would have sufficient public access and foot traffic.

Mayor Jane Castor worked to give the sculpture its next home with the Children's Board of Hillsborough County and was able to secure the spot in mid-April.

"There could not be a better home than the Children's Board of Hillsborough County for 'Honors to Mothers of the World,'" said Robin Nigh, Tampa's arts manager. "This sculpture holds significant cultural value to the people of Tampa, and we want her to be a place where the public can enjoy her."

The Children’s Board is having an open house to view the sculpture on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8, from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Blanco was born in Cuba in 1902 and died in 1972. He is considered to be one of Cuba’s most important artists. He was known for his sculptures that featured Afro-Cuban themes and stood out for his mastery in carving.

He graduated from the Academia San Alejandro, and gained international acclaim when he received a gold medal at the Seville World’s Fair in 1929.

In his day, Blanco was a formidable presence in the art world, particularly Cuba’s evolving world of sculpture. He also played a prominent role in the emergence of people of color being portrayed in a much more humanistic way by artists of color, such as himself.