Artists and Vanguards

In 1931, he painted his famous Allegory of the Second Spanish Republic (Alegoría de la II República). It has a clear Art Deco feel, which the artist used in his other works from 1928. It was one of the most influential works for artists of that time.

This caricature of Francisco Franco led the artist who produced it to be given the death sentence, which was then commuted to a 20-year sentence, with nine years spent in prison. He managed to go into exile in Venezuela, where he continued his work as a caricaturist.

In another satirical approach, Franco is depicted as a Prussian general supported by the church, the army, and businessmen. Pedrero was a poster artist in the Fine Art Workers' Syndicate (Sindicato de Trabajadores de las Bellas Artes) of the General Union of Workers (UGT), and worked for the Madrid Defense Council (Junta de Defensa de Madrid).

This is the figure of José María Gil Robles, leader of the Right, who is ridiculed for having a pear-shaped head. Bagaría Bou managed to go into exile in France in 1938, from where he set course for Cuba in 1940. He died shortly after arriving there.

Carles Fontseré was one of the founders of the Professional Draftsmen's Syndicate (Sindicato de Dibujantes Profesionales) in Barcelona. Although he started his career producing paintings for the Catalan traditionalist right wing, he went on to paint for the main left-wing parties and syndicates. He fought in the French Resistance while in exile in France.

José Espert Arcos was member of the so-called Talent Battalion (Batallón del Talento) of the Fifth Regiment of Popular Militias, which was made up of artists and intellectuals such as fellow poster artist José Bardasano Baos.

A member of the Spanish Draftsmen's Union (Unión de Dibujantes Españoles), he belonged to the Syndicate of Fine Arts Professionals (Sindicato de Profesionales de las Bellas Artes) of the General Union of Workers (UGT) in Madrid. He went into exile in Mexico in 1944 after passing through the French concentration camps.

A member of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE), he was Director General of Fine Arts from September 1936 and was responsible for safeguarding national heritage, such as the Prado Museum in Madrid. After passing through the French concentration camps, he managed to go into exile in Mexico in May 1939.

He was one of the organizers of the Spanish pavilion at the 1937 Paris International Exposition of Art and Technology in Modern Life. An expert in photomontage, he continued his artistic career in Mexico using this technique. He was the author of the book The Social Function of the Poster (Función Social Del Cartel).

An artist influenced by Soviet graphic design and German agitprop (agitation propaganda), his posters were a direct message against the threat of fascist invasion. At the end of the war, he was held in concentration camps and spent two years in prison.

A member of the Unified Socialist Youth (Juventudes Socialistas Unificadas), Juana Francisca Rubio worked in the organization's La Gallofa workshop. She also worked for the Antifascist Women's Association (Unión de Mujeres Antifascistas) and the Socialist Youth Girls' Association (Unión de Muchachas de las Juventudes Socialistas). She managed to go into exile in Mexico, returning to Spain in 1960.

Founder and director of the La Gallofa propaganda workshop run by the Unified Socialist Youth's Visual Arts Division, which sent out hundreds of posters as war propaganda. In exile in Mexico from June 1939, he returned to Spain in 1960.

José Huertas Aliende was a photographer for the Madrid Defense Council (Junta Delegada de Defensa). He was a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) and the General Union of Workers (UGT). He created antifascist publicity posters for the Madrid Socialist Association (Agrupación Socialista Madrileña).

Cantos worked in Madrid for the Defense Council (Junta Delegada de Defensa) and for the General Union of Workers (UGT). He was a member of the Drawing Workshop of the Syndicate of Fine Arts Professionals, attached to the UGT.

An advertiser, he worked for the Madrid Defense Council (Junta Delegada de Defensa) and was a member of the Professional Syndicate of Fine Arts (Sindicato Profesional de Bellas Artes). At the end of the civil war, he resumed his advertising career at different agencies, distancing himself from his Republican past.

When Primitivo Ramón Cristóbal Castillo turned 18 in 1936, he joined the poster workshop run by the Spanish Ministry of Public Education. He died in Portugal in April 1974, during the Carnation Revolution.