Episode 90: The Picasso in Exile - Art Mysteries, Episode 2

Pablo Picasso’s most famous work, the anti-war mural called Guernica, is returned to Spain under a veil of secrecy after 44 years outside the country during the Franco dictatorship.

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Transcript

Martina: It was September 9, 1981, and from the outside, it seemed like any other Wednesday at the Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA, in New York. But inside, something unprecedented was taking place. A group of people was working on a top secret mission. One of them was Álvaro Martínez Novillo, a Spanish museum curator.

Álvaro: Ese día yo sentía una gran responsabilidad porque teníamos una misión muy importante relacionada con un cuadro muy especial… el Guernica.

Martina: Guernica is one of the most celebrated paintings in the world, produced by Spain’s most famous artist, Pablo Picasso. It depicts the tragedy of war, and today, serves as a symbol of peace. For most of its existence, it had been hanging on the walls of the MoMA in New York City. But now, after more than 40 years…a team of secret operatives was taking it down…

Álvaro: Esa era nuestra misión. Por eso estábamos en el museo. Ese iba a ser el último día que el Guernica iba a pasar en el MoMA y en Nueva York. Estábamos en una operación en secreta para bajar el cuadro y sacarlo del museo.

Martina: The secret mission had a code-name Operación cuadro grande, or Operation Large Painting. Guernica really is enormous. It measures 25 feet wide and 11 feet tall, covering almost a whole wall. It wasn’t going to be easy for Álvaro’s team to take it down, pack it up, and get it…to the airport, going completely unnoticed.

Álvaro: La misión era muy importante y teníamos miedo de que el plan saliera mal. Nuestra principal preocupación era tener un problema legal con la familia Picasso o que no nos dejaran sacar el cuadro. Otro peligro era dañarlo en el traslado. El plan estaba organizado a la perfección y tenía que funcionar. Nada podía salir mal.

Martina: But this wasn’t a rogue operation. Guernica was not being stolen. Every detail of its removal had been meticulously organised by the Spanish government. Because for the first time in four decades, Guernica was going home.

Álvaro: Teníamos que ser muy discretos, nadie podía saber nada. Después de 44 años, el cuadro más famoso de Picasso, el Guernica, se iba de Nueva York porque iba a viajar en un avión comercial a su país, a España… Estábamos cumpliendo la voluntad de Pablo Picasso.

Martina: Bienvenidos and welcome to a special season of the Duolingo Spanish Podcast. I’m Martina Castro, and this season, we’ll explore some of the greatest mysteries of art and literature in the Spanish-speaking world.

As usual, the storyteller will be using intermediate Spanish and I’ll be chiming in for context in English. If you miss something, you can always skip back and listen again. We also offer full transcripts at podcast.duolingo.com.

Keep an ear out for the accent from Spain, where the “c,” which usually sounds like an “s” sound, is pronounced with a “th” or th sound. So “democracias” sounds like “…democrathias…”

In order to do this story justice, we'll need to go back to the 1930’s…where a civil war in Spain inspired one of the greatest paintings in modern history.

Martina: In the late 1930’s, the political climate in Spain was at a boiling point. Fascist and far-right groups were trying to overthrow the democratic government in a civil war. Meanwhile, artists like Pablo Picasso supported democracy, and wanted to do what they could to save it. Art historian Genoveva Tusell has studied what happened to Picasso and his masterpiece, Guernica, during this time.

Genoveva: Desde pequeña, me fascinó el Guernica. En mi casa, cuando era niña, a menudo escuchaba a mis padres hablar sobre este cuadro. Era algo que estaba muy presente y que tenía relación con la democracia y la guerra civil. Más tarde, yo misma llegué a ser experta en este tema.

Martina: Genoveva’s parents were also historians. And her father, Javier Tusell, was a prominent activist against Spain’s fascist government, which was persecuting, perseguía, intellectuals and artists like Picasso.

Genoveva: En el año 1937 los tiempos en España eran muy difíciles porque había una guerra civil. El gobierno fascista ganaba cada vez más territorio y perseguía a los intelectuales y a los artistas. Por esta razón, Picasso y otros tuvieron que escapar. En medio de toda esa tensión, el gobierno español, que peleaba contra los fascistas, le pidió a Picasso que pintara ese cuadro para mostrarle al mundo la situación en España.

Martina: In the midst of the fighting, the Spanish democratic government commissioned Picasso to create a piece of public art meant to condemn the brutal acts of the fascists. Picasso wasn’t sure at first what he would paint. Then, in April of 1937, a terrible bombing occured in a town in northern Spain, called Guernica… The operation was commanded by the Spanish general Francisco Franco, who would soon become dictator.

Genoveva: Ese ataque fue devastador: lanzaron muchas bombas y más de tres mil proyectiles. El 70% de los edificios de la ciudad quedó totalmente destruido. Además, hubo aproximadamente 1600 muertos y más de 800 heridos.

Martina: With so many civilians dead and injured, or heridos, the bombing outraged Picasso, leading him to create what is now his anti-war masterpiece. He used oil paints in shades of white, black, and grey to depict the horrors of war. In the background, the people of Spain are represented by a bull — an important cultural symbol of Picasso’s home country.

Genoveva: Es un cuadro muy simbólico y muy fuerte. En el centro hay un caballo agonizante y una mujer con una lámpara. A un lado, hay una casa quemándose y una mujer gritando, y del otro lado hay un toro.

Martina: Picasso finished Guernica in June of 1937, and the following month, it was unveiled in France, where Picasso was living in exile. Despite the attention Guernica started to bring to Spain and the atrocities being committed there… Two years later, Franco seized power and started a dictatorship that would last almost forty years.

Genoveva: Picasso ya vivía en Francia y decidió no regresar a España si Franco todavía estaba vivo. También dijo que el Guernica, su cuadro más emblemático, no regresaría a España bajo ese contexto político.

Martina: Picasso vowed that Guernica wouldn’t enter Spain until Franco's dictatorship ended and democracy was restored. To ensure his wishes were respected, Picasso worked with his attorney to make arrangements for the painting in the event of his death.

Genoveva: Picasso no dejó ni a sus hijos ni a su esposa a cargo del cuadro. Él decidió que el Guernica podía volver a España solo si regresaba la democracia.

Martina: Meanwhile, Guernica was drawing global attention. In 1938, it had a brief tour across Europe. Then, in 1939 it traveled to the United States to raise money for Spanish refugees. Its most important exhibit was at the MoMA. Guernica was relatively well-known by this point, but in New York it became a sensation.

Genoveva: El cuadro impresionó mucho a los artistas. Por primera vez, la obra pudo ser vista no solo como la representación de un conflicto militarista, sino como un momento importante en la evolución artística de Picasso. Su tamaño, su estilo y el simbolismo entre la guerra y la paz eran características muy impresionantes del cuadro.

Martina: The plan was to return Guernica to Picasso in France after the MoMA exhibition. But then, the Second World War started in Europe. The artist decided to keep his masterpiece safe, far from the turmoil. So he left the painting in New York.

Genoveva: El Guernica se quedó en Nueva York y Picasso en Francia. Él murió exiliado el 8 de abril de 1973. Dos años después, el 20 de noviembre de 1975, murió Franco. La democracia iba a volver a España, pero el Guernica tendría que esperar un poco más.

Martina: For the next few decades, Guernica remained on display in New York. But after Franco’s death in 1975, Spain finally began a transition back to democracy. There was a general election and a new constitution.

Genoveva: Con la muerte de Franco, la situación del Guernica cambió mucho. Muchos españoles querían la obra de regreso en España.

Martina: Although Guernica was a highly respected Spanish painting, it wasn’t so easy to obtain. First, the government had to convince Picasso’s attorney that democracy had been fully restored in Spain. Then, they had to dispatch a group to move the giant painting across the Atlantic — in secret. That’s where Álvaro Martínez Novillo, the museum curator at the Spanish Ministry of Culture, stepped in.

Álvaro: Yo era conservador de museos. Por esta razón, una de mis responsabilidades era traer el cuadro a España. No era solo yo, ¡éramos un equipo grande! Pero, estaba muy emocionado. Esta sería una tarea muy difícil… la más difícil de mi vida.

Martina: Álvaro and his team wanted to act fast, because the situation in New York was tense. The city was experiencing a wave of violent crime in the early 80s. A few years earlier, someone had vandalized the Guernica with red spray paint as it hung in the MoMA. Álvaro says this alarming act of vandalism added more pressure to their plans.

Álvaro: Queríamos evitar más protestas y cuidar al cuadro.

Martina: But the biggest challenge remained: respecting Picasso’s vow that Guernica would return to Spain only when democracy was restored. Picasso’s former attorney and even some of his family members, weren’t convinced that democracy was there to stay. Álvaro says the Spanish government had to set up a meeting with Picasso’s lawyer.

Álvaro: Esa reunión era para hablar de la situación y así, finalmente, traer el Guernica a España.

Martina: In 1979, Picasso’s attorney traveled to Spain and met with the president, who wanted to assure Picasso’s family that democracy had, in fact, been restored.

Álvaro: Después de que el abogado viajó a España y escuchó personalmente al presidente… aceptó.

Martina: Now Álvaro’s team had to figure out how to transport such an enormous and valuable masterpiece. After many discussions, they decided the best course of action would be to fly the painting, in secret, across the Atlantic Ocean — in a custom-made tube. Álvaro and other art specialists from Spain would oversee the process. They would fly, along with the precious cargo, on a commercial flight from New York to Madrid.

Álvaro: Nosotros sentíamos muchísima presión. El viaje del Guernica era un hecho, pero, de repente, hubo algo que cambió nuestros planes…

Martina: Suddenly…there was political upheaval in Spain. It took the whole country by surprise. On February 23 of 1981, there was a coup d’etat. Tanks rolled through the streets. Armed men stormed the parliament in Madrid.

Álvaro: ¡Un intento de golpe de estado! Nuestra democracia estaba en peligro, y por supuesto, también ponía en peligro el traslado del Guernica a España.

Martina: In the middle of the chaos, the Spanish government managed to stop the anti-democratic uprising. Spain’s new democracy had endured. But still, Spanish leaders and Álvaro’s team worried Picasso’s family and his attorney would cancel the return of Guernica.

Álvaro: El rey Juan Carlos dio un discurso por televisión y dijo que no permitiría la violencia en contra del proceso democrático.

Martina: The king’s speech upholding democracy caught the attention of Picasso’s attorney. And so, the lawyer made up his mind once and for all about where the painting would go.

Álvaro: El discurso del rey convenció al abogado… El viaje del Guernica volvía a ser una realidad.

Martina: Still, Álvaro says the team tasked with bringing Guernica back decided to proceed with even greater caution. After the coup attempt, there was a growing fear that far-right groups might try to attack the painting again. The team was aiming to deliver Guernica back to Spain in early September of 1981.

Álvaro: Nos habían dicho que todo estaba listo en el MoMA, pero hasta no estar ahí y verlo con mis propios ojos, yo no me quedaría tranquilo. Era un cuadro enorme y muy valioso. Muchas cosas podían salir mal…

Martina: Álvaro worried constantly that the artwork could get damaged or stolen in transit. Or that right-wing political protestors would learn about the move, and attack Álvaro’s team as soon as they were outside the protection of the museum. Everyone was on edge. But Guernica itself remained a source of inspiration.

Álvaro: Para las personas que aman el arte como yo, esta es una gran obra maestra. Y así lo consideraba el propio Picasso.

Martina: Finally, the big day arrived. September 8, 1981 was the last time museum goers at the MoMA would ever see the Guernica hanging on its walls…

Álvaro: Escogimos el 9 de septiembre de 1981 después de que el museo cerrara al público porque el día siguiente era festivo y no habría visitantes. Nadie tenía que saber de este plan.

Martina: That afternoon, the museum was empty, except for the team of Spanish officials and museum employees helping to take down the painting. Álvaro felt the weight of the moment: his country was depending on him to return Picasso’s masterpiece to its rightful home.

Álvaro: Lo primero que se hizo fue bajar el cuadro. Era tan grande que cubría todo el suelo de la sala. ¡Era realmente enorme! Después lo pusimos boca abajo para separar la obra del marco.

Martina: The team carefully slid Guernica into the custom-made tube for the journey.

Álvaro: Sentimos que el tiempo se paró. Después de ponerlo en la caja, todos comenzamos a aplaudir. ¡Fue un momento de mucha emoción! Todo había salido bien.

Martina: Next, Álvaro’s crew loaded the tube onto a truck and headed to the airport, followed by a Spanish escort and a convoy of Spanish and American police. Suddenly, as they raced down streets of New York, the city was plunged into darkness…

Álvaro: Mientras íbamos al aeropuerto, hubo un problema eléctrico en Manhattan y todos los semáforos se apagaron. Por un momento tuvimos miedo de un atentado o de un ataque… pero no era nada de eso, todo estaba bien. El cuadro estaba listo para subir al avión.

Martina: The group had booked a commercial flight for the artwork to avoid any suspicion.

Álvaro: El personal de Iberia puso al Guernica en la bodega con el resto del equipaje. Nadie sabía que nosotros estábamos en esta misión porque pretendimos pasar por turistas.

Martina: When the airplane finally took off, Álvaro breathed a sigh of relief.

Álvaro: Cuando el avión aterrizó, el comandante dio la bienvenida, dijo la hora y después continuó: “Tengo un anuncio: ustedes han viajado acompañando al Guernica de Picasso”.

Martina: The passengers were stunned! Nobody understood what was going on at first. But after a moment, they realized that Guernica, Picasso’s anti-war masterpiece, one of the most famous paintings in the entire world, had finally come home to Spain.

Álvaro: Unos minutos después, todos comenzaron a aplaudir. ¡Misión cumplida! Después de 44 años, el Guernica estaba en España. ¡El último exiliado estaba en su hogar!

Martina: Since its trip home, the painting Guernica has been on exhibit at the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid. Genoveva Tusell spent five years investigating this story and in 2017, she published the book “El Guernica recobrado,” or “Guernica Recovered,” which recounts this whole journey. She’s also a professor at Spain’s National Distance Education University. The first time she saw the Guernica in Spain she thought:

Genoveva: Cuando, después, yo vi el Guernica en el museo Reina Sofía, pensé que Picasso estaría muy feliz de que el cuadro estuviera en España.

Martina: Álvaro Martínez Novillo is now 73 and continues to work as a museum curator. He’s proud to share this piece of history, where he played a critical role.

This story was produced by Tali Goldman, a journalist and writer based in Buenos Aires.

We'd love to know what you thought of this episode! You can write us an email at podcast@duolingo.com and call and leave us a voicemail or audio message on WhatsApp, at +1-703-953-93-69. Don’t forget to say your name and where you’re from!

Martina: Here’s a message we recently got from Mahour, in Iran:

Mahour: Hello, this is Mahour from Iran. I love your podcast and I just wanted to say thank you for amazing stories that always bring us either joy or tears. They’re just super awesome in every way. Es que me encanta el español y el Duolingo me ha ayudado mucho en mi camino de aprendizaje. Me encantan tus hermosos episodios. So thank you so much! Bye-bye.

Martina: Thank you so much, Mahour! Your Spanish is fantastic!

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The Duolingo Spanish podcast is produced by Duolingo and Adonde Media. I’m the executive producer, Martina Castro. ¡Gracias por escuchar!

Credits

This episode was produced by Duolingo and Adonde Media.