Spain's Congress of Deputies has approved a non-binding motion from Sumar to rehabilitate Domingo Cipriano Salvador Gijón, a republican teacher and writer falsely accused by the Franco regime of stealing the painting 'La Santa Generación' by Yáñez de la Almedina. All parties except Vox supported the measure, which calls for a tribute and a replica of the work for Almedina in Ciudad Real.
Spain's Congress approved the non-binding proposition (PNL) tabled by Sumar in the Culture Committee on Wednesday, backed by all parties except Vox. The motion aims to right the wrong done to Domingo Cipriano Salvador Gijón, who protected the 16th-century panel 'La Santa Generación' by Yáñez de la Almedina, a disciple of Leonardo da Vinci, during the Civil War. Salvador removed the work from Almedina's church for safekeeping, but after the war was falsely accused of its destruction by falangists and sentenced to death, later commuted to 30 years in prison.
The truth emerged in 2020 through historian José López Camarillas, who found the painting had been sold to the Prado Museum in 1941 by the priest of Villanueva de los Infantes. "Happy and relieved that justice is done," López Camarillas said. The PNL urges the government for a tribute, delivery of a replica to Almedina, and commemorative plaque, supported by reports from the Culture Ministry and the Prado.
Sumar MP Nahuel González called it "a lie that lasted too long," while Gonzalo Redondo (PSOE) and Enrique Belda (PP) backed the rehabilitation. Vox opposed it for its "revanchist undertone." The Prado must include the work's full history in its guides.
