Girona has been offered a donation of a recently bought sketch of Ramon Martí Alsina’s El gran dia de Girona, after a French collector said he wants the work to return to the city. The collector, Renaude Allaire, lives in Paris and contacted Diari de Girona after the sale became public.
The sketch was sold at auction a week ago for €4,200. At the time, the buyer was only described as living abroad, before Allaire identified himself as the purchaser.
What the sketch shows
El gran dia de Girona refers to a key moment in the city’s history, the defence of Girona during the Napoleonic Wars. The original large-scale painting, completed in 1864, is part of Catalonia’s artistic heritage.
What happens next
No Girona administration has yet accepted the offer. For the donation to go ahead, a public body in the city would need to formally agree to take the sketch and handle any transfer or display arrangements.
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