Prehistoric archaeology was created in the mid 19th century as discipline focused on the study of material evidence of remote societies that aimed at fostering a positivist reading of human history in which the idea of universal progress became central. However, the recognition of cave art painting at the turn of the century opened the path for new approaches in which the “artistic” and intellectual capacities of prehistoric humanity could be also studied. In the first decades of the 20th century, the study of prehistoric cave art became the spearhead of the discipline, and moreover, it also became a powerful tool for national identity building, particularly in the case of Spain. Focusing on the exhibitions in which prehistoric cave art was displayed (by means of reproductions), in France, Spain and Portugal, this presentation aims to reflect on the ways prehistoric cave art was mobilised in support of political or social projects in the Interwar period.