The Museum of Lleida finishes the transfer of 111 Aragonese works of art

BarcelonaA stage in the dispute over sacred art between Catalonia and Aragon has come to an end. This morning, the Museum of Lleida has made the third and last delivery of the 111 works of Aragonese parishes and has sent 41 works to the Museum of Barbastro-Monzón, most of which were on display, in compliance with the provisional execution of a sentence that recognizes that 43 Aragonese parishes are their owners. The previous deliveries, of 28 and 42 pieces respectively, were made on 22 February and 5 March. The Minister of Culture, Àngels Ponsa, wanted to be in the museum during the delivery, and the Circle of Friends of the Museum of Lleida has organized a concentration in sign of protest and of support towards the museum.

Among the most outstanding of this set are the frontal of Sant Vicenç de Tresserra d'Areny, an altarpiece from the parish of Vilanova de Sixena, a Catalan pastillatge chest and a sculpted Romanesque altar frontal, both from the parish of Buira de Bonansa. Also the Virgin Mary with the Child of Saidí, the altarpiece of Santa Llestra, the altarpieces of Binacet and Gaió, the bowl of Benavent, the altarpiece of Santo Cristòfor de Licia, the painting on the table of Sant Martí Bisbe, a silver processional cross, a Nativity and Adoration of the shepherds, and a painting of Santa Eulàlia and Santa Madrona.

The complaint of the bishopric of Barbastro-Monzon to the bishopric of Lleida dates back to February 2018 and was seen as an extension of the application of Article 155 in the Sixena case. After precipitating the return of 44 goods belonging to the monastery of Sixena to Aragon, from the Museum of Lleida, on December 11, 2017, among which there are some delicate sepulchral boxes of polychrome wood, the Aragonese side picked up momentum having, in addition, the Vatican sentences of the case in their favor.