Guernica Plate

Elías de Andrés (Espirgo, Segovia, 1934) created this work in the context of the debate surrounding the return of Guernica to Spain in 1981. Following a suggestion by his daughter—who sent him a photograph of the piece, previously little known to him, the artist decided to undertake a personal interpretation on an iron plate, faithfully reproducing the lines and figures of Pablo Picasso’s original.

De Andrés first produced a full-scale drawing, which he then transferred onto a 140 x 70 cm iron plate, engraved directly with a chisel in a process lasting approximately 400 hours and marked by its high technical complexity. Once the incision is complete, the iron undergoes a controlled oxidation process; subsequently, a protective primer is applied to prevent future oxidation, and the process is brought to completion using a traditional method based on wax and natural earth pigments, which imparts subtle nuances of sheen and intensity.

Considered one of his favorite works, the artist kept it in his studio until it entered the collection of the Museo de la Real Casa de Moneda in Segovia.