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Marco Augusto Dueñas (born May 25, 1971) is a Spanish sculptor. He is mostly known as a marble artist and has gained popularity with his religious sculptures. Dueñas became the first Spanish sculptor whose sculptures were exhibited in the Vatican, and today he is the only living sculptor with three pieces of marble in the Vatican. He also works in various materials including bronze, gold, and wood.

Early Career
Dueñas was born in Córdoba, Spain. In his youth, he became an apprentice in marble sculpture under the guidance of García Rueda in his hometown. At the age of fourteen, he specialized in the various techniques of restoration and sculpture.

In 1986, while pursuing his studies, he also worked as a jewelry designer. During his first career years, Dueñas designed and created several sculptures for private individuals and city councils. His first notable work came at the age of 17 when he created a bronze bust of the Labour's National Confederation founder, Juan Sánchez de Rosa, in the Andalusian town of Grazalema. Between 1989 and 1991, he restored a wooden altarpiece from the Church of la Merced's in Córdoba. In 1992, he was commissioned by the Royal Household to carry out a bronze bust of Don Juan de Borbón. The following year, he graduated in sculpture from the Mateo Inurria Academy of Fine Arts in Córdoba, specializing in wood, foundry, and decoration. (2)

During the following years, Dueñas performed several allegorical figures and marble reliefs, mainly for private collectors. In 1997, he created another bronze bust for Spanish singer and actress Sara Montiel, as a tribute to her career. Between 2000 and 2007, Dueñas was very active in his native region of Andalusia, delivering works in the localities of Torremolinos, Seville, Malaga, and in his hometown of Córdoba (3). In total, Dueñas created more than 50 sculptures to promote Córdoba as the European Capital of Culture 2016, including sculptural groups of two and three figures, each made of white Carrara marble and 3.5 meters high.

Work for the Vatican
In 2005, Marco participated in a global contest by Pope Benedict XVI to make a sculpture of Santa Rafaela María Porras, a Spanish saint who established the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and was sanctified by the Catholic Church. Dueñas won the contest, and his sculpture, 6 meters high and made of white marble, is permanently exposed on the exterior facade of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and was blessed by the Pope himself on January 20, 2010. During that same year, Dueñas was asked once again to create another sculpture for the Vatican. This time, it was to represent Saint-Maron, a Syrian monk, abbot in St. Cyrus, and founder of the Eastern Catholic rite named after him, the Maronite Catholic Church. The monumental sculpture, 6 meters high and carved from a single block in white Carrara marble, was completed within six months. Exhibited on St. Peter's Basilica's exterior facade, in the last available niche made by Michelangelo, it was blessed by the Pope on February 23, 2011. According to Duenas, Cardinal Comastri and the Holy Father wanted "to represent the Maronite Church's father in a way that was both classical and current, combining the Oriental and the Western styles".

Labeled by the Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, "among the most beautiful sculptures in the Vatican", the sculpture of Saint-Maron was donated by the family of Lebanese businessman and media executive Antoine Choueiri. Lebanese President Michel Sleiman granted the sculptor the Presidency's commemorative plate in appreciation of his works. (4) (5)

Return to Spain and works outside Europe
After his works at the Vatican, Dueñas went back to Spain. He was commissioned to complete the Almudena Cathedral, Madrid. The project consisted of finishing the temple's exterior facade with four reliefs made of white marble for the facade in front of the Royal Palace. In addition to a Pantocrátor, two sculptures of 3 meters high, and a set of architectural works were all completed in 2011. The new facade was inaugurated the same year on the occasion of the Pope's visit for World Youth Day. Between 2012 and 2014, Dueñas performed several additional marble angels for the same Cathedral, meanwhile, in 2013 he completed his first works outside Europe with three wooden figures in Miami, followed in 2015 by a replica of his St.Maron statue in Chihuahua, Mexico, and reliquaries of cedarwood polychromed in 24-carat gold for the Cathedral of Foligno, Italy, but also places in Lebanon and the United States. After 2016, Dueñas created two new statues for his city of Córdoba, including a 3-meter high sculpture of Claudio Marcelo, founder of the city, and, between 2017 and 2019, he completed several bronze and marble figures at the Sanctuary of Cristo Rei in Portugal.

Recent activity
In July 2020, Dueñas revealed the third sculpture for the Vatican, a portrait of Pope John Paul II, on the occasion of the centenary of his birth. (6) During the summer of 2020, he donated a statue from his first private collection "Il Giro" to an exhibition held on behalf of the Municipality of Pietrasanta, Italy, to support the local Versilia hospital, families, and businesses in the community impacted by COVID-19. Entitled ‘The Great Gift of Art’, the exhibition was held in the Cloister of Sant'Agostino in Pietrasanta, on Saturday 12 September 2020, and was followed by an auction managed by Sotheby's. International collectors were invited to bid with 100% of funds going to aid Versilia hospital in purchasing equipment vital for fighting the virus.

Personal life and style
Although he is mostly known as a Vatican artist, Dueñas' works are not only religious but also secular, -representing historical characters and scenes-, and adorn the monuments and public places of his country, and particularly his hometown Córdoba to which he keeps a strong bond, despite not living in Spain anymore. Since 2007, the sculptor resides in Pietrasanta (Italy). Dueñas considers himself a contemporary artist and a Christian. "I try to be honest in my life and in my art. However, I am also a very demanding artist in my work." (7)

He is married to Kate R. Finlay (born March 5th, 1981) who holds a Diploma in International Commerce from the Chamber of Commerce of Spain. Together they have a son, Marco Augusto Dueñas Finlay (Born in 2007). Both speak English, Spanish, and Italian.

Main works

 * 1989: Bronze bust, a monument to Juan Sánchez Rosa, Grazalema.
 * 1989-1991: Restoration of the altar of the Church of la Merced, Cordoba.
 * 1992: Bronze bust of Don Juan de Borbón, Royal Palace, Madrid.
 * 1993: Virgin Mary Help of Christians polychrome wood.
 * 1994: Allegorical monument of Abderraman II and Azahara, gardens of the Al-Mirraz hotel.
 * 1995: Allegorical figures in the Borriquita Pass (wooden sculptures) and the Queen of Angels.
 * 1996: Heraldic shields carved in marble for the Espartaco Rato family.
 * 1996: Relief of "Las Meninas" made of marble (1.90m x 2.60m) for a private collector.
 * 1997: Stone relief representing the city of Cordoba for a private collector.
 * 1997: Bronze bust from and for Sara Montiel.
 * 1998: Sculptural ensemble of 14 marble figures dedicated to Neptune, Puerto Marina, Benalmadena.
 * 1999: Bronze relief of the Sagrada Familia (8 meters high), facade of Caja Sur, Córdoba.
 * 1999: Bronze bust of Don Miguel Castillejo Gorraiz, Caja Sur.
 * 2001: Bronze monument dedicated to the Tourism, Torremolinos.
 * 2001-2002: Altarpiece dedicated to the Final Judgment made of white Carrara marble (9x4 meters), Church of the Magdalene, Cordoba.
 * 2002-2003: Sculptural group of Hercules, 4-meter tall granite, Seville.
 * 2003-2007: Life-size reproduction of Michelangelo's "La Piedad", Church of the Seminary, Cordoba.
 * 2003-2007: 4 meter-high bronze Maternity, Xanit International Hospital, Benalmadena.
 * 2003-2007: Sculpture of San Eloy made of white Carrara marble, Joyero Park, Córdoba.
 * 2008: Relief sculpture of San Rafael in aluminum, Alzheimer's Center, Cordoba.
 * 2008-2009: Three sculptures in white Carrara marble (2 meters high): a Crucified Christ, an Immaculate Virgin, and a replica of the work of St. Raphael Mary who is in the Vatican. Church of Santa Rafaela María, Córdoba.
 * 2010: Monumental sculpture of Santa Rafaela María de Porras, St. Peter's Basilica, The Vatican
 * 2011: Sculpture of Saint Maron, the exterior facade of St. Peter's Basilica, The Vatican
 * 2011-2014: Sculptures on the exterior facade and the entrances of the Almudena Cathedral, Madrid.
 * 2011-2013: Virgen Mary with Child, Crucified Christ and St. Joseph and child, Cedarwood and 24-carat gold leaf, Miami, United States of America.
 * 2015: Sculpture of Claudio Marcelo, 3m high in white Carrara marble. Cordoba, Spain
 * 2015: Replica of St. Maron statue. St. Charbel church, Chihuahua, Mexico.
 * 2015: Bust of His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain, 90cm high in bronze. Mallorca town hall.
 * 2015: Reliquaries in cedarwood and polychromed in 24-carat gold for the Cathedral of Foligno, Italy, the Maronite Patriarchy, Bkerke, Lebanon, and the Maronite Patriarchy in Rome, Italy
 * 2016: The Reader -a statue dedicated to female readers, 1.60m high in bronze. Cordoba, Spain
 * 2017: Virgen de la Cinta, 3m high in white Carrara marble. Cathedral of Tortosa, Tarragona.
 * 2017-2018: Sacred Heart of Jesus (bronze), relief and 4 Evangelists (marble), Sanctuary of Cristo Re, Portugal.
 * 2019-2020: Relief of Saint John Paul II in white Carrara marble, 80cm diameter. The Vatican.
 * 2020: Creation of 5 statues in white Carrara marble for Lebanon- in process.

Exhibitions

 * 1992: Exhibition of brotherhood works in the Provincial Council of Córdoba.
 * 1993: Exhibition of brotherhood works in the Provincial Council of Córdoba.
 * 1994: Exhibition of brotherhood works in the Provincial Council of Córdoba.
 * 2003: International Exhibition in Forte Dei Marmi (Italy).
 * 2005: Joint exhibition with Romano Cosci in Stazzema (Italy).
 * 2008: International Exhibition of 20 Marble Sculptures in Marina de Pietrasanta (Italy).

Awards and distinctions

 * 1989, 1990: 1st Prize of the Círculo de Bellas Artes de Córdoba.
 * 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992: 1st Prize "Artesano y el Arte" of the city of Córdoba.
 * 1998: 1st International Award for best work in Macael marble.
 * 2011: Commemorative plaque in appreciation of his works by Lebanese President Michel Sleiman.