
Bust of Padre Francisco de Vitoria
Francisco de Vitoria (1483/6 ¨C 1546) was a Spanish Roman Catholic philosopher, theologian and jurist of Renaissance Spain. He is noted for his significant contributions to 'Just War Theory' by presenting criteria for a justifiable war, and to international law. He has been referred to by some scholars as the ¡°father of international law.¡±
This bust was created by the Spanish artist Francisco Toledo S¨¢nchez (1928-2004). He was a prominent sculptor who at the time of the bust¡¯s creation was a professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Madrid, Spain. There is a larger full-body sculpture on display at the Convento de San Esteban in Salamanca, Spain.
The bust was presented to the Âé¶¹APP on June 4th, 1976 by King Juan Carlos of Spain. Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim accepted the gift and stated: ¡°It is fitting that the sculpture of one of the fathers of international law should be displayed in the Âé¶¹APP Headquarters. Indeed, it will constantly remind us of the Preamble of the Charter in which the peoples of the Âé¶¹APP expressed their determination to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from international law can be maintained.¡±