MNAC tells Huesca court it is 'technically unable' to transfer Sixena mural paintings

The National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) informed a court in Huesca on Monday that it is “technically unable” to transfer the Sixena mural paintings.

The murals have been housed at MNAC since 1940 but originate from Sixena, a town in Aragon. Spain's Supreme Court recently ruled that they must be returned to their original location.

However, MNAC told the court that carrying out the transfer “without putting them at risk” is impossible due to technical reasons.

The notification comes just days before the Wednesday deadline for the museum to voluntarily hand over the works.

The murals in question date back to the 13th century and are considered singular pieces of the Romanesque era.

According to the court, MNAC was never the owner of the works, and only had them in its possession, meaning that the court case doesn’t expire.

The president of Aragon, Jorge Azcón, has demanded the "unconditional return" of the Sixena murals from Catalonia.

The Aragonese president insisted that the transfer be carried out "as soon as possible," but added that it was obvious that it "won't happen in just one day."

Many public institutions have raised their concerns regarding the transfer of the artworks from the MNAC to Aragon due to their fragility and the risk of damage. Some include the Catalan Royal Academy of Fine Arts and the Sciences and Arts of Barcelona.

On a similar side, the Catalan president, Salvador Illa, as well as the Spanish culture minister, Ernest Urtasun, have also positioned themselves on taking care of the different artworks but also to obey the Supreme ruling.