Short answer. Yes. Article 587 of the Civil Code lets the owner retain articles of artistic worth or sentimental value that would otherwise be sold as part of the usufruct — but only if the owner provides security for the payment of the legal interest on their appraised value for the duration of the usufruct.
What the law says
If the owner does not wish that certain articles be sold because of their artistic worth or because they have a sentimental value, he may demand their delivery to him upon his giving security for the payment of the legal interest on their appraised value.
Civil Code, Article 587 — Delivery of Necessary Furniture. Read the full provision →
When the sale question arises
When a usufructuary has not posted the required bond or security, the law allows the movable property included in the usufruct to be sold, with the proceeds invested so that the usufructuary receives the income. This sale mechanism protects the usufructuary's economic interest when security has not been given. Article 587 creates an exception to that mechanism: the owner may step in and demand that specific articles not be put up for sale, as long as the owner can point to their artistic worth or sentimental value and is willing to back that claim with real security.
What the owner must do to exercise this right
The right to keep articles out of the sale is not free. The owner must demand delivery of those specific articles and provide security sufficient to cover the legal interest on their appraised value — and this obligation runs for as long as the usufruct lasts. The security exists to ensure the usufructuary does not lose out economically: what the usufructuary would have earned from the sale proceeds is replaced by the interest the owner pays. If the owner cannot or will not post that security, the articles go back into the pool for sale.
Practical considerations
The article's reference to artistic worth or sentimental value sets a real threshold — not every piece of furniture or movable property qualifies. Heirlooms, original artworks, pieces tied to the family's history, or items with recognized cultural value are the clearest candidates. The appraisal that establishes the security amount will need to reflect the genuine value of the items, since the legal interest is calculated on that figure. If you are the owner trying to protect specific items, or the usufructuary wondering whether the owner's demand is valid, the specifics of what the items are and what security was actually offered matter significantly. Legal advice on those facts is the practical starting point.