The Foundation recovers «Greco and Goya» art pieces
After years of lawsuits to recover the art collection, on 29th June, two of the most important works that the industrialist Julio Muñoz Ramonet bequeathed to the Foundation that bears his name were returned to the city of Barcelona! They are The Annunciation by El Greco and The Apparition of the Virgin of the Pillar by Goya.
These works of art were part of the collection of Rómul Bosch i Catareniu whom he sold in 1934 to the textile consortium of the Unión Industrial Algodonera, SA (UIASA) and which were given as a deposit for a 10 year loan given by the Instituto Contra el Paro Forzoso [Institute Against Unemployment] of the Generalidad de Cataluña [Regional Government of Catalonia].
A few months later, the collection was stored at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, and in 1950 it passed on to Julio Muñoz Ramonet as the new owner of the Unión Industrial Algodonera, SA (UIASA), who assumed payment of the loan. At the same time, he began talks with the Ayuntamiento de Barcelona [Barcelona City Council] who was safeguarding the collection. The delivery was finalised when Muñoz Ramonet sold to the Ayuntamiento de Barcelona a set of artworks (currently part of the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya).
When he died in 1991, he bequeathed his estate, the two houses and all its content (including the art collection) to the city of Barcelona. The Fundació Julio Muñoz Ramonet was established in 1995. In March 2012, the Supreme Court issued a judgment obliging its heirs to hand over this legacy to the Foundation, and in 2013 they handed over the keys to the estate.
While waiting for the appeals to be resolved on ownership of these paintings that the family filed against the Supreme Court ruling, the judge decided to provisionally store them at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and has authorised for them to be exhibited to the general public as a long-term loan.
Francisco de Goya?
The Apparition of the Virgin of the Pillar to Saint James and his disciples
?Circa 1780?
Oil on canvas, 120 x 98 cm?
Judicial order and long-term loan at the Museu Nacional dÂ’Art de Catalunya (MNAC)
The
composition made by Francisco de Goya faithfully follows the
traditional Marian iconography of the miraculous appearance of the
Virgin Mary to the apostle James and his disciples next to the Ebro
river. Several approaches painted by Goya on this subject are known,
this being the least studied and known.
Domenikos Theotokópoulos, El Greco?
The Annunciation - Archangel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she has been chosen to be the mother of the Son of God.
1572-1576
?Oil on canvas, 107 x 94 cm?
Judicial order and long-term loan at the Museu Nacional dÂ’Art de Catalunya (MNAC)
The Annunciation
has been one of the most discussed topics by Domenikos Theotokópoulos,
El Greco (India, Crete, 1541-Toledo, 1614). This painting is catalogued
as one of the initial artworks dedicated to this subject. Painted during
his passage through Italy, from Crete and before settling in Toledo, it
reflects the influence of the Italian Renaissance school.
The Museo de Prado
in Madrid retains a smaller tableau that repeats the same theme and
composition but with a different execution. Some specialists consider it
from an earlier time.