The sculptor behind the hilariously awful Cristiano Ronaldo bust has spoken out, saying that the Real Madrid striker had approved of his creation before its unveiling.
Madeiran artist Emanuel Santos spent three weeks creating the bronze bust, with it now being displayed in the newly named Aeroporto Cristiano Ronaldo in Funchal, the capital city of Portugal’s Madeira archipelago. The country’s president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa unveiled the statue, with it now being permanently displayed outside the airport, where Santos was previously employed.
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However, despite the considerable effort that went into it, Santos’ creation was widely ridiculed after photos of it were published online. Many pointed out its lack of resemblance to the footballer, while others commented on its overall creepiness. Seriously, those eyes. It’s like it’s trying to burn a hole directly in your soul.
Look at it lurking behind Ronaldo and co. in this photo, presumably plotting who it will kill next:
Image Credit: Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
Now Santos has spoken out about these criticisms, revealing that Ronaldo had only asked for a few improvements when he was sent a photo of the bust. “It is impossible to please the Greeks and Trojans. Neither did Jesus please everyone,” he said. “This is a matter of taste, so it is not as simple as it seems. What matters is the impact that this work generated. There is always the possibility of making a difference, I was prepared for all this. I used as a base some photos of Cristiano Ronaldo that I found on the internet, nothing specific. I put the photos next to me and started working on the bust.”
He continued: “Cristiano saw the photos that his brother sent him. I was with the brother at Cristiano’s museum in Madeira and from the messages he sent, I could tell that he liked what he saw.
“He only asked for some wrinkles that give him a certain expression in his face when he’s about to laugh to be changed. He said it made him look older and asked for it to be thinned out a bit to make it smoother and more jovial. But they gave it the go-ahead; they liked what they saw.”
It’s difficult to imagine Ronaldo truly appreciating Santos transforming his chiseled face into the stuff of nightmares, but Santos insists that this is the case and the Portuguese international did seem happy with the finished product at its unveiling. Maybe it looks better in person..?
