The Navarre professor Concepción García Gainza receives the award Tribute of the committee Spanish Art History (CEHA)

The committee Spanish Art History (CEHA) has awarded a award Tribute to Concepción García Gainza, professor emeritus of the School of Philosophy and Letters of the University of Navarra, first professor of Art History in Spain and award Príncipe de Viana de la Cultura. The event took place yesterday, June 15, in the auditorium of the Complutense University of Madrid, in the framework of the XXIV congress of the CEHA. 

With this award, the board Directive of the institution has recognized "the academic career of the professor; her historiographical contributions through publications and books in specialized magazines; the formative work of a significant issue of qualified disciples -fifteen of them occupy Chairs in various institutions-; and the direction of about thirty doctoralthesis , in addition to other academic works and research". He also underlined "his commitment to the defense of the historical and artistic heritage, reflected in the Monumental Catalog of Navarra, as well as in the Chair de Patrimonio y Arte Navarro".

In her thank you speech , Professor García Gainza recalled the beginnings and evolution of the History of Art in Spain, from the constitution of the CEHA in 1977, an institution of whose board Directive has been part in different periods, until the celebration of the congress International of Granada, now 50 years ago, which brought together in Spain dozens of specialists from around the world. As he recalled, at that time "Art History was considered a simple auxiliary discipline of History, with nothing that was considered essential". In this sense, he expressed his gratitude to the CEHA for "its work in its dissemination and study in all national universities, including the University of Navarra". 

The Monumental Catalog of Navarra

He also recalled the work that "with great vitality" carried out by the professors of the department of Art History of the University of Navarra, and whose research was culminated with the realization of the Monumental Catalog of Navarra, "a synthesis of all the heritage in which image, documentation and analysis will be provided, differentiating its content from a mere inventory" and that he has defined on occasion as his "great vital adventure". As he pointed out, the Catalog -the only one completed and published of the Spanish autonomous communities-, was the foundation of the Chair of Heritage and Art of Navarre of the University of Navarra, which currently carries out its research and dissemination work under the direction of Professor Ricardo Fernández Gracia.

During the ceremony, Professor Javier Azanza, Full Professor of Art History at the University of Navarra, also spoke and reviewed the main milestones in the professional, academic and research career of the honoree, his teacher. "Those of us who had Doña Concepción as a teacher remember her master classes, prepared conscientiously, presented with clarity and with a very clear style staff, so that they transmitted more than just knowledge", he explained. She also expressed, on behalf of all her disciples, "the deepest gratitude for her teaching and dedication, for her defense of our heritage, and for her professional and human qualities. And because she is, and will continue to be, a teacher of Art Historians".

Concepción García Gainza (Pamplona, 1937) studied history at programs of study in Pamplona and Zaragoza and received her doctorate in 1968 with a thesis directed by José Rogelio Buendía. civil service examination In 1970, she obtained the Chair in History of Art at the University of Seville, becoming the first woman to do so in her specialization program, and in 1975, she took possession of her Chair at the University of Murcia.

In 1976 she joined the University of Navarra, where she taught for more than three decades. At the academic center, she has been director of the department of History, Art History and Geography for 25 years and of the Chair of Art and Heritage of Navarre, of which she is currently Honorary President.

A corresponding member of the Royal Academies of Fine Arts of San Fernando (Madrid) and Santa Isabel de Hungría (Seville), Professor García Gainza has received numerous awards. In 2000, she received the award Príncipe de Viana de la Cultura and in 2017 she was awarded the Encomienda de la Orden Civil de Alfonso X El Sabio.