Torre de Baño

“BATH TOWER” SCULPTURE
Author: Manuel Penín, 2011
Location: Saco y Arce Square, Ourense

The sculpture “Bath Tower”, by local artist Manuel Penín, is inspired by his personal memory of Mrs. Obdulia going down to wash in As Burgas, surrounded by children that were not hers but whom she loved as her own.

Obdulia Díaz Picouto was born in 1907 and lived in the historic district of ​​Ourense, specifically at the end of Cervantes Street bordering Pelayo Street, in a very old house with stairs that creaked when you stepped on them. She lived on the top floor and her daughter Lola lived on the second floor.

She was the governor’s cook during the Republic: he gave her a radio and granted her permission to have a light bulb when electric light was not common in Ourense homes.

In 1937, Obdulia became a widow when the Falangists took her husband Eduardo Nóvoa González after a complaint from a local shopkeeper out of envy towards him.

Obdulia, in addition to being a widow, had a health condition that prevented her from paying taxes for no more than three years, so she survived on a tiny pension from Franco’s charity; in addition, she worked as a laundress for other families, worked an orchard or raised pigs.

In this context, in addition to a socioeconomic situation of misery and repression in Spain, and being the mother of 3children, in 1950 she began her altruistic work by taking care of the babies of the prostitutes who worked in the area. Some of them provided financial means for their children, thus also being able to contribute for the entire offspring. In addition, some people from the society of the time helped this great family to get ahead: Dr. Luis Gallego Domínguez took care for the children of the house free of charge; Father Silva and his mother provided food; the various stores in the surrounding area contributed with their products.

All of these children, most of whom called Mrs. Obdulia “grandmother” and some also “mom,” exceeded the number of 200 between 1950 and 1988, the year in which this great woman died. Her daughter Lola would continue with her work until a year later, when she died from cancer.

Ourense pays tribute to these two women and the entire society that helped them at that time through this sculpture that symbolizes a specific memory of the artist: Obdulia going to As Burgas with her washboard.

Obdulia and Lola not only offered clothes, food, shelter and education to all these children, but they also gave them the happiness and warmth of a family full of love that helped them get ahead with the few resources they had.