On 26 April 1937 during the Spanish Civil War, the Basque town of Guernica was obliterated in three hours of bombing by the Nazi Luftwaffe and Italy’s Aviazione Legionaria, supporting General Franco Nationalist forces.
Pablo Picasso, living in Paris at the time, was deeply affected by news of the attack. Commissioned by the Spanish Republican government to create a mural for the Spanish Pavilion at the 1937 Paris International Exposition, he channeled his outrage and grief into his work. The result was Guernica.
After its debut at the Paris International Exposition, Guernica embarked on a world tour for the benefit of the Spanish Refugee Relief Committee.
When World War II broke out in Europe, Picasso expressed his wish that Guernica should not be transferred to Spain until democracy was restored. As a result, the painting was entrusted to the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) for safekeeping.
After the death of Francisco Franco in 1975 and the subsequent transition to democracy, discussions began about permanently transferring the painting to Spain. In 1981, after much negotiation, Guernica was sent to Spain and is currently displayed in the Museo Reina Sofia.
Key to the transfer of the painting to Spain was Javier Tusell who, as General Director of Artistic Heritage, Archives and Museums, was in charge of managing the delivery of the painting to Madrid.
On 28th January 2025, ADA has the pleasure of inviting Genoveva Tusell, Javier Tusells’s daughter and author of the book Guernica Recovered to speak about this fascinating history. Genoveva will be joined by Carlota Álvarez Basso, Head of Institutional Relations at the Museo Reina Sofia.
Additional information
Limited places are available and will be assigned by registration only.
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Image credits: Guernica, Pablo Picasso | © Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, 2025
Speakers
Genoveva Tusell
Author of the book “Guernica Recovered”
Carlota Álvarez Basso
Head of Institutional Relations at the Museo Reina Sofía