In the context of TRACE project (translations censored during Franco’s regime), the paper looks at the pre-history of one typical case: the reception, translation and censorship of Immanuel Kant in 19th century Spain. The paper describes the connection between reception and translation diachronically from the first mention of Manuel Kant in Spain in 1803 up to the first direct (partial) translation of his main work (1883). The reception of Kant was difficult and late in 19th century Spain because his agnositic views were dismissed by the traditionalist establishment. Kant’s main work and secondary Spanish bibliography were included in the Index librorum prohibitorum. Kant was also silenced by other competing liberal agents. The case study is completed with some ideas on translation and reception, and the extension of the idea of censorship into constitutive censorship.