Dictatorship and Museums: The museums of Catalonia (Spain) in the early years of the Franco dictatorship (1939–47)

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article examines the history of the museums of Catalonia after they were reopened during the first years of the Francoist dictatorship following the 1936–39 civil war. In order to understand this period it is necessary to analyze the role that the Servicio de Defensadel Patrimonio Artístico Nacional played in relation to museums and the impact this Francoist institution had on their administration. The post-war functioning of museums is also compared to the situation before the war and the changes undergone during the conflict. Additionally, attention is given to the activities that took place in the Catalonian museums during this time, as well as the composition of museum boards and the governmental institutions that were engaged in the museums' re-inauguration and management following 1939.