Guernica returns to Spain: Spanish A2 past reading
An A2 Spanish account of Guernica from its creation in Paris to its 1981 return and 1992 move in Madrid.
El viaje de Guernica a Madrid
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Uses a documented artwork journey to show background actions and completed events in natural A2 narration.
Después, el gran lienzo viajó por Europa y América. Cuando empezó la Segunda Guerra Mundial, quedó bajo la custodia del Museo de Arte Moderno de Nueva York. Durante muchos años, el cuadro estaba lejos de España.
Picasso quería el regreso de la obra cuando España tuviera de nuevo libertades democráticas. En 1958, prolongó el préstamo al museo de Nueva York hasta ese momento.
A finales de los años setenta, España ya tenía una nueva Constitución y celebró elecciones. Las negociaciones avanzaron. El 10 de septiembre de 1981, Guernica volvió a España en un avión desde Nueva York.
En Madrid, el equipo del museo trabajaba con mucho cuidado. Mientras preparaba el montaje en una sala pequeña, el enorme lienzo estaba enrollado. También llegaron dibujos, grabados y bocetos de Picasso.
La obra se instaló en el Casón del Buen Retiro, un edificio del Museo del Prado. Allí permaneció durante más de diez años.
En 1992, Guernica hizo otro viaje corto por Madrid. Se trasladó al Museo Reina Sofía junto con varios trabajos relacionados con la obra.
¿Qué obra de arte recuerdas muy bien? ¿Has visto un cuadro muy grande? ¿Qué lugar visitarías tú para conocer Guernica?
About this article
What you'll learn
Integrated Spanish past, preterite and imperfect contrast, time markers and museum vocabulary.
Uses a documented artwork journey to show background actions and completed events in natural A2 narration.
After reading
Article learning block
Phrases, words, grammar, and quick practice from this text.
Phrases for training
Add useful phrases to SRS or mark them as already known.
encargó una obra
newcommissioned an artwork
Encargar una obra means formally asking an artist to create it.
Useful for discussing how an artwork began.
quedó bajo la custodia
newremained under the care of
Bajo la custodia de means under the protection and responsibility of a person or institution.
Useful for museums, documents and valuable objects.
volvió a España
newreturned to Spain
Volver a a place means arriving there again after an absence.
A core phrase for narrating a return.
con mucho cuidado
newvery carefully
Con cuidado describes an action done attentively to avoid damage.
Useful for instructions and delicate work.
Key words
Vocabulary that carries the school-day topic.
Canvas
lienzo
canvas, a painting on canvas
The fabric used for painting, or a painting made on it.
A key museum and art word.
Loan
préstamo
temporary loan
The temporary transfer of an object to another person or institution.
Useful for museum collections and everyday objects.
Negotiations
negociaciones
negotiations
Talks between parties aimed at reaching an agreement.
Important in history, politics and work.
Installation
montaje
museum installation
The process of preparing and installing a work for display.
Useful museum and exhibition vocabulary.
Rolled up
enrollado
rolled up
The adjective describes something wound into a roll.
It clarifies how a very large canvas was transported.
Sketches
bocetos
sketches
Preliminary drawings in which an artist develops an idea.
Useful for discussing the artistic process.
Grammar in context
Patterns from the text worth noticing after reading.
Completed action
Picasso pintó Guernica
Picasso painted Guernica
The preterite presents the painting's creation as a completed historical action.
Useful for key events in a narrative.
Past background state
el cuadro estaba lejos
the painting was far away
The imperfect describes an ongoing state without focusing on its boundaries.
It supplies background for the next event.
Simultaneous background
Mientras preparaba el montaje
while the installation was being prepared
Mientras with the imperfect shows an action continuing alongside another state.
Useful for linking two background situations.
Next completed event
Se trasladó al Museo Reina Sofía
it was moved to the Reina Sofía Museum
The preterite with the 1992 time marker signals the next completed event.
Useful for moving a historical narrative forward.
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