Catalonia Sues Aragón for €791,000 for Repayment Over Restitution of 56 Artworks
Catalonia’s government has formally demanded €791,000 (about $920,000) from Aragón to recover costs tied to the value and upkeep of 56 artworks from the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Sigena that Catalonia was ordered to return in 2017, according to El País. The works had been moved from the monastery in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War and were later held at the National Art Museum of Catalonia (12 works) and the Diocesan Museum of Lleida (44 works). Spain’s Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that the items were part of the monastery’s artistic treasure when it was declared a National Monument in 1923 and thus were protected under that designation. Catalonia’s document calls for negotiations within 30 days, after which it may return to court if no agreement is reached.
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This story was covered in Auction Fever, Restitution Fights, and Workers Rising