Hildreth Meière: Connections to Spain Before and During the Spanish Civil War

Mónica Orduña Prada

doi:10.37536/reden.2019.1.1374

Abstract

    The prestigious American Art Deco artist Hildreth Meière provided humanitarian assistance to the victims of the Spanish Civil War and in the Second World War. Acting as the vice-president of the American Spanish Relief Fund created in 1937 and run by P. Francis X. Talbot, S. J. with the goal of helping people affected by the war in the Franco zone, and to also deliver medicine and medical supplies from the United States through diplomatic channels. She visited Spain in 1925, 1938 and 1961. On the first trip she came to see the works of Spanish painters and made contact with important aristocratic families of the time (the Duke of Sotomayor, the Marquises of La Romana and Arcos, the Duchess of Vistahermosa, etc.). In 1938 she started humanitarian aid, collecting money and donations from New York society for orphans of the civil war and acted as a propaganda distributor for the Francoist cause in the United States. On this occasion she met with people familiar with the situation in Spain to solve the problems of humanitarian aid: Luis Bolín, Pablo Merry del Val, Cardenal Gomá, Carmen de Icaza, and Mercedes Sanz Bachiller. Meière actively participated in providing humanitarian aid in the Franco zone during the years of the civil war while also acting as a staunch supporter of the Francoist cause. After the civil war she continued her collaboration to alleviate aid deficiencies in Spain by facilitating the transport of anesthetics, medicines, surgical materials, etc, but her perspective towards Francoism was changing and gradually her ties to Spain weakened. It was only three years before her death in 1961 that she made one last trip to Spain.   

Highlights

Hildreth Meière was one of the most prolific American artists of the Art Deco period, with a career that lasted nearly up until her death in 1961
This paper examines what Meière perceived regarding the reality of Spanish society during the two significant periods in Spanish history in which she visited Spain, her the first two visits in 1925 and 1938
Meière had carried out an important role in collecting funds and donations among New York society with the aim of assisting orphaned children by the Spanish Civil War and as a promoter of the Francoist cause in the United States

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Hildreth Meière was one of the most prolific American artists of the Art Deco period, with a career that lasted nearly up until her death in 1961. Besides being a pioneer in the application of different artistic techniques (especially murals) throughout her life, she won various prizes and awards and was the first woman admitted to the New York City Art Commission Among her numerous art projects, she was commissioned eight projects for the Nebraska State Capitol and various church decorations, such as the mosaics in St. Hildreth Meière was one of the most prolific American artists of the Art Deco period. Her dedication to such organizations had important links, especially in the case of the Spanish conflict, to her identity as a practicing Catholic She was involved (often with a role such as a vice president or treasurer) with many humanitarian aid groups, one of them being the American Spanish Relief Fund, the Committee to Send Medicines and Anesthetics to Spain, and the French Civilian Relief.

FIRST CONTACT WITH SPAIN

MEIÈRE AND SPANISH CIVIL WAR

She was traveling as a representative of the American Spanish Relief

CONCLUSIONS