THE SPANISH ARTISTIC HERITAGE IN 1939: DOES CHANGE OF DIRECTION IN THE REPUBLICAN CULTURAL POLICY?

Abstract

The Spanish Civil War represented a turning point in the Western world, with
regard to the traditional methods and techniques used by Museum curators to
protect and preserve the Artistic Heritage. The Republic governments started up,
between 1936 and 1939, a detailed project to save the Spanish heritage. This project
was a response to the high importance that culture had for Republican elites.
During the last months of the Civil War, contradictions developing the project
emerged leading to important controversies that are nowadays still unsolved. These
problems incited the dispersion as well as the destruction of an important part of
the Artistic Heritage, which had been kept safe during the conflict. The works of art
in question were part of the cargo that the yacht Vita shipped to Mexico.