April Art Book Selections: New Publications on Displaced Art, Gerda Taro, and Convent Life
The article presents a curated selection of three art books published in April 2026. Bénédicte Savoy's '¿A quién pertenece la belleza?' (Cátedra, 2026, 264 pp., €17.95) examines the itineraries and translocations of iconic artworks like the Nefertiti bust, Pergamon Altar, Van Eyck's Ghent Altarpiece, Raphael's Sistine Madonna, and treasures from the Abomey palace, revealing networks of plunder, diplomacy, and power behind Western museum holdings. Fernando Olmeda's 'Gerda Taro. Fotógrafa en la guerra de España' (Libros del K.O., 2026, 232 pp., €22.90) shifts focus from biography to Taro's concrete fieldwork during the Spanish Civil War, tracing her movements across Aragón, Madrid, Andalusia, and Valencia, and analyzing her framing and visual decisions, positioning her as an author with her own language in modern photojournalism, distinct from her link to Robert Capa. Ana Garriga and Carmen Urbita's 'Instrucción de novicias' (Blackie Books, 2026, 288 pp., €22.00) draws on a 16th-17th century novitiate manual to explore Baroque convent life as spaces of sociability, work, creation, and female power, featuring figures like Teresa of Ávila, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, and María de Jesús de Ágreda.
Key facts
- Bénédicte Savoy's '¿A quién pertenece la belleza?' published by Cátedra in 2026, 264 pp., €17.95.
- Savoy's book analyzes displaced artworks including Nefertiti bust, Pergamon Altar, Van Eyck's Ghent Altarpiece, Raphael's Sistine Madonna, and Abomey palace treasures.
- Fernando Olmeda's 'Gerda Taro. Fotógrafa en la guerra de España' published by Libros del K.O. in 2026, 232 pp., €22.90.
- Olmeda's book focuses on Taro's work during the Spanish Civil War across Aragón, Madrid, Andalusia, and Valencia.
- Ana Garriga and Carmen Urbita's 'Instrucción de novicias' published by Blackie Books in 2026, 288 pp., €22.00.
- Garriga and Urbita are PhDs from Brown University and creators of the podcast 'Las Hijas de Felipe'.
- The book examines Baroque convent life as spaces of female power, featuring Teresa of Ávila, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, and María de Jesús de Ágreda.
- All three books are part of an April 2026 selection of art and editorial novelties.
Entities
Artists
- Bénédicte Savoy
- Fernando Olmeda
- Ana Garriga
- Carmen Urbita
- Robert Capa
- Teresa of Ávila
- Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
- María de Jesús de Ágreda
- Van Eyck brothers
- Raphael
Institutions
- Universidad Técnica de Berlín
- Ediciones Cátedra
- Libros del K.O.
- Blackie Books
- Brown University
- Las Hijas de Felipe (podcast)
Locations
- Spain
- Aragón
- Madrid
- Andalusia
- Valencia
- Berlin
- Germany