The High Court of Justice of Andalusia has overturned a four-year prison sentence for antiques dealer Santos Boy Jiménez Cortés, who was previously convicted of misappropriating a 17th-century Baroque sculpture. The artwork, 'Saint Margaret of Cortona' by José de Mora, was purchased from the Our Lady of the Angels convent in Granada for €21,600 before being resold to a Madrid gallery and eventually offered at TEFAF New York for €400,000. The court ruled that the nuns' claims—that they had only requested a restoration budget rather than selling the piece—were inconsistent and lacked documentation.
This ruling concludes a high-profile legal battle that highlights the complexities of heritage laws and the sale of ecclesiastical property in Spain. The case underscores the tension between the private art market and the protection of religious cultural assets, particularly when institutions face closure. While the dealer has been cleared of criminal charges, the sculpture has been permanently relocated to the Museum of Fine Arts of Granada, ensuring the preservation of the 17th-century masterpiece within a public institution.