One of the great pleasures of keeping an eye on the art world is to be able to enjoy the ridiculous issues that are passionately debated. It reminds me of the sort of controversies I noticed when I was following purebred dog showing.

From a recent issue of ARTNews…

The Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid has acquired a 1929 painting by the Cubust artist María Blanchard, in a move that has angered some who claim that has angered some who claim that the work exceeds the museum’s purview.

Some in the Spanish art world have claimed that, because of its date, the painting belongs with the city’s Museo Reina Sofía, which has historically specialized in art from the 19th century onward. According to a report by the Spanish newspaper ABC, the Prado’s purchase of the work, for which it paid 70,000 euros (about $84,000), breaks with a 1995 decree that distinguishes what the two museums can collect.