1940s Spanish Artists, Writers and Cultural Figures – Illustrated Ration Sheets
DESCRIPTION
Five colorful portraits celebrate some of Spain’s most enduring artists, writers, and performers, from Francisco Goya to Antoni Gaudí.
The subjects are painter Francisco de Goya, popular singer and actress Concha Piquer, Golden Age playwright Félix Lope de Vega, poet Juan Ramón Jiménez, and Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. Each portrait includes identifying lettering and, in several cases, dates or brief biographical references. Piquer’s portrait carries a Spanish flag and the date 1945, while Gaudí’s identifies Barcelona’s Sagrada Família. The combination of painting, music, theater, poetry, and architecture creates a broad survey of Spanish cultural achievement in an accessible illustrated format.
Spanish food rationing began in 1939, following the Civil War, and continued until 1952. Ration coupons were issued by local authorities and relief organizations to regulate the distribution of scarce food supplies. Printed in perforated sheets, each coupon specified a particular food item or quantity and entitled its holder to purchase that allowance at an officially regulated price. Merchants collected or invalidated the coupons when the food was distributed. The surviving coupon designs reference communities and aid programs including Cáceres, Salamanca, Ceuta, Vera (Almería), and La Riba (Tarragona).
The five accompanying coupon sheets include food vouchers from Fuendetodos and Caspe in Zaragoza, Colindres in Cantabria, Baza in Granada, and Librilla in Murcia, many dated 1942. Some portrait inscriptions contain historical inconsistencies—for example, Goya’s printed death date is incorrect—so the printed biographical dates should not be treated as reliable evidence for when the artwork was made.
Offered as one complete group: Five illustrated sheets with five accompanying coupon sheets. Sheets retain visible perforations; light toning, creases, and handling wear are present. Exact printing technique and production dates have not been verified.
CONDITION
1200 W. 35th Street #425 Chicago, IL 60609 | P: (312) 496 - 3622