Spanish Civil War: Argelès

Argelès, 1939; Ink on Paper; Gift of Martha Daura, U2006.12.33

While fighting in the Battle of Teruel, a city in eastern Spain, Daura suffered serious, though ultimately superficial, wounds in combat. Daura returned to his home in St. Cirq to recuperate from his wounds. 

Even after being wounded, Daura continued to help his fellow Spainards by assisting those held in refugee detainment camps in France. The harsh conditions of these camps and the attitudes of despair are reflected in Daura’s depiction of the camp in Argelès, France. Daura demonstrates immense sadness through the facial expressions of the depicted figures, representing the sorrow of not only the refugees, but of the Spanish people as a whole. 

Daura’s religious influences are clear in this work, as Daura compares the plight of the refugees to that of Christ. The figures in the foreground represent Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, while the barbed wire is made to resemble a crown of thorns.  

Daura’s religious influences are particularly notable in the context of the War. Although Daura, like many Spainards, grew up Catholic, the Spanish Republicans often found themselves at odds with the Catholic Church, with Daura himself having doubts about organized religion in the lead up to war. However, by turning towards religion to cope with the events around him, Daura demonstrates the profound effect which the War had on him emotionally. Furthermore, Daura demonstrates another piece of his identity in his faith, one so integral that it could not be dismantled by the events of the conflict.