In front of Hildegart's coffin: the drawings of the corpse of 'the red virgin' reappear at Arco
Art pieces depicting the body of Hildegart Rodríguez, a child prodigy murdered by her mother, will be displayed at the José de la Mano gallery in Madrid.
The article discusses the re-emergence of two drawings created by Valencian painter José Manaut Viglietti of Hildegart Rodríguez, who was murdered by her mother in 1933. The drawings were made during the young prodigy's wake, where the artist captured the somber moment before the coffin was closed. Aiming to reflect the talent and tragedy of Hildegart, these pieces held a significant cultural resonance in republican Madrid at the time.
Hildegart was celebrated as a child prodigy and a symbol of progressive ideals, making her untimely death even more poignant. The two drawings, now being displayed at the José de la Mano gallery during the contemporary art fair Arco, serve as a valuable link to the past, revealing the intersection of art, death, and memory. They are not only significant for their artistic merit but also for what they represent regarding societal changes and feminist movements in Spain.
As these pieces are brought to light nearly a century after their creation, they invite reflection on the history of women's roles in society and the legacy of Hildegart as a figure who defied the constraints of her time. The Art fair Arco provides a platform for these historical pieces, ensuring that Hildegart's story continues to resonate in contemporary discourse on art and gender identity.