Sijena Monastery paintings to be transferred from MNAC starting October 19

The transfer of the profane paintings from the Sijena Monastery, currently held at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), is scheduled to begin on October 19. Following approval from the Huesca Heritage Commission, the operation is expected to last until November 5, though the MNAC notes this timeline is tentative pending official communication for the final dismantling of the pieces.

The relocation follows several firm judicial rulings that dismissed appeals from the Catalan institution. The logistics will be managed by the Madrid-based company SIT Proyectos, Diseño y Conservación SL, with the MNAC covering the total cost of approximately 81,000 euros. Unlike the famous chapter house murals, these profane works are not considered at risk of damage during transport.

However, the conflict remains unresolved regarding the chapter house murals. The MNAC has raised technical concerns, citing a report that warns of potential physicochemical imbalances if the murals are moved at this time. While the Aragon government maintains that the technical conditions of both sets of paintings are equivalent, the MNAC has requested the intervention of the Minister of Culture to evaluate the technical studies.