Guernica by Pablo Picasso – Facts & History of the Painting 137.4 in × 305.5 in 349 cm × 776 cm Guernica is a painting by famous Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. It was painted as a reaction to the aerial bombing of Guernica, Spain by German and Italian forces during the Spanish Civil War in 1937. The Spanish Republic, government of Spain, appointed Picasso to paint a large mural about the bombing to display at the 1937 World’s Fair in Paris. Guernica shows the cataclysms of war as well as the anguish and destruction it inflicts upon people, especially innocent civilians. This painting has attained an enormous reputation over the years, and has become an everlasting reminder of the devastation of war, in addition to becoming an anti-war icon. After it was completed, Guernica was exhibited worldwide during a limited tour, receiving wide acclaim and becoming quite famous. The exposure assisted in bringing the Spanish Civil War to the world’s awareness. The Painting – Summary Of Individual Components The colors of Guernica are black, white, and grey.

It is an oil painting on canvas, measuring 11 feet tall by 25.6 feet wide, and is on display at the Museo Reina Sofía (Spain’s national museum) in Madrid. The work of art was completed by Picasso in June, 1937 and depicts turmoil, people and animals suffering, with buildings in disarray – torn apart by violence and mayhem. Guernica can be summarized by its individual components as follows: The encompassing scenario is set within a room where, in an empty part on the left, a wide-eyed bull looms above a woman grieving for a dead child she is holding. The middle of the painting shows a horse falling over in pain, having been pierced by a spear or lance. It is essential to bear in mind that the gaping wound in the side of the horse is the primary focus of the artwork. Two obscured visuals formed by the horse can be found in Guernica: first is human skull is superimposed on the body of the horse. Secondly, it appears that a bull is goring the horse from below. The head of the bull is formed largely by the front leg of the horse, which has its knee on the ground.

The knee cap of the horse makes up the bull’s nose, and the bull’s horn jabs at the horse’s breast. The tail of the bull is formed in the shape of flame and smoke appearing in the window at far left, produced by a lighter shade of grey bordering it. Underneath the horse lies a dead mutilated soldier, the hand of his severed arm still grasping a broken sword, from which a flower springs up. In the open palm of the dead soldier is a stigmata, symbolic of the sacrifices of Jesus Christ. Above the head of the impaled horse is a light bulb which glares outward like an evil eye, it can also be likened to the single bulb hanging in a prison cell. Picasso may have also intended the symbolism of the bulb to be associated with the Spanish word for light bulb which is “bombilla”. This brings to mind the word “bomb”, which could symbolize the detrimental impact which technology can have on humanity. Towards the upper right of the horse is a fearful female figure that appears to be watching the actions in front of her. She seems to have floated through a window into the room.

Her floating arm is holding a flaming lamp and the lamp is very close to the bulb, symbolizing hope – and is in opposition to the light bulb. Staggering in from the right, below the floating female figure, is a horror-struck woman who looks up vacantly into the glaring light bulb. The tongues of the grieving woman, the bull, and the horse are shaped like daggers, which suggest screaming. A bird, probably a dove, is perched on a shelf behind the bull and seems to be in panic. On the far right of the painting, a person with arms extended in sheer terror is trapped by fire from below and above. A shadowy wall that has an open door becomes the right end of the painting. Interpretations Interpretations of the symbolism of Guernica fluctuate extensively and contradict each other depending on the viewer. The list below echoes the most common interpretations and opinions of historians: The form and bearing of the figures in Guernica convey protest. The artist utilizes white, black, and grey paint to create a sorrowful atmosphere and convey suffering and disorder. The flaming structures and crumbling walls do not merely communicate the devastation of Guernica, but reveal the harmful force of war.

The newspaper print used in the backdrop of the painting portrays how Picasso found out about the bombing. The light bulb in the artwork symbolizes the sun. The broken sword close to the base of the painting signifies the defeat of the people by their conquerors. With Guernica, Picasso wanted to establish his identity and his strength as an artist when confronted with political authority and intolerable violence. But instead of being simply a political piece of art, Guernica ought to be viewed as Picasso’s statement on what art can in fact donate to the self-assertion that emancipates all humanity, and shields every person from overpowering forces like political crime, war, and death. Guernica Displayed At The United Nations A large tapestry reproduction of Picasso’s Guernica was exhibited in the United Nations building in New York City, towards the entry way of the Security Council chamber. The Guernica tapestry was commissioned in 1955 by Nelson Rockefeller, because Picasso declined to sell him the original artwork, and it was placed on loan to the UN by Rockefeller’s estate in 1985. The tapestry incorporates numerous shades of brown, and is less monochromatic in comparison to the original Guernica painting.

On March 17, 2009 Marie Okabe, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary General, said the Guernica tapestry was relocated to a gallery in London prior to a substantial remodeling at the UN headquarters. The Guernica tapestry is the highlight piece for the reopening of the Whitechapel Gallery. It is found in the “Guernica Room” that had initially been an area of the old Whitechapel Library. Marking its 75th anniversary in 2012, the original painting is scheduled to be photographically analyzed to determine if it is in need of any restoration or repair. Picasso’s iconic anti-war painting the Guernica is still displayed at the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid, and remains one of Picasso’s best loved and most recognized paintings. 5 responses to “Guernica” 1000+ images about Picasso war art on Pinterest | Oil on canvas, Spanish and Bottle Forward "Still Life with a Bottle of Rum", 1911 | Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973) | Oil on canvas | 24 1/8 x 19 7/8 in.

(61.3 x 50.5 cm). Picasso painted Still Life with a Bottle of Rum during the summer of 1911 in Céret, the small town in the French Pyrenees that was so popular with poets, musicians, and artists—especially the Cubists—before World War I that it has been called the "spiritual home of Cubism." See More Picasso painting « Day Day Paint Blog Picasso Painting Guernica Saturday, April 21st, 2012 Guernica was painted by Pablo Picasso in 1937. Probably Picasso’s most famous work, Guernica is certainly the his most powerful political statement, painted as an immediate reaction to the Nazi’s devastating casual bombing practice on the Basque town of Guernica during Spanish Civil War. Guernica shows the tragedies of war and the suffering it inflicts upon individuals, particularly innocent civilians. This work has gained a monumental status, becoming a perpetual reminder of the tragedies of war, an anti-war symbol, and an embodiment of peace. On completion Guernica was displayed around the world in a brief tour, becoming famous and widely acclaimed. This tour helped bring the Spanish Civil War to the world’s attention.

This work is seen as an amalgmation of pastoral and epic styles. The discarding of clor intensifis the drama, producing a reportage quality as in a photographic record. Guernica is blue, black and white, 3.5 metre (11 ft) tall and 7.8 metre (25.6 ft) wide, a mural-size canvas painted in oil. This painting can be seen in the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid. Interpretations of Guernica vary widely and contradict one another. This extends, for example, to the mural’s two dominant elements: the bull and the horse. Art historian Patricia Failing said, “The bull and the horse are important characters in Spanish culture. Picasso himself certainly used these characters to play many different roles over time. This has made the task of interpreting the specific meaning of the bull and the horse very tough. Their relationship is a kind of ballet that was conceived in a variety of ways throughout Picasso’s career.” Guernica was painted by Pablo Picasso in 1937.

Probably Picasso’s most famous work, Guernica is certainly the his most powerful political statement, painted as an immediate reaction to the Nazi’s devastating casual bombing practice on the Basque town of Guernica during Spanish Civil War. Guernica shows the tragedies of war and the suffering it inflicts upon individuals, particularly innocent civilians. This work has gained a monumental status, becoming a perpetual reminder of the tragedies of war, an anti-war symbol, and an embodiment of peace. On completion Guernica was displayed around the world in a brief tour, becoming famous and widely acclaimed. This tour helped bring the Spanish Civil War to the world’s attention. Picasso Paintings for sale This work is seen as an amalgmation of pastoral and epic styles. The discarding of clor intensifis the drama, producing a reportage quality as in a photographic record. Guernica is blue, black and white, 3.5 metre (11 ft) tall and 7.8 metre (25.6 ft) wide, a mural-size canvas painted in oil. This painting can be seen in the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid. buy Picasso Painting Interpretations of Guernica vary widely and contradict one another.

This extends, for example, to the mural’s two dominant elements: the bull and the horse. Art historian Patricia Failing said, “The bull and the horse are important characters in Spanish culture. Picasso himself certainly used these characters to play many different roles over time. This has made the task of interpreting the specific meaning of the bull and the horse very tough. Their relationship is a kind of ballet that was conceived in a variety of ways throughout Picasso’s career.” Picasso Painting Boy with a Pipe Wednesday, April 18th, 2012 Boy with a Pipe was painted in 1907 by Pablo Picasso. It was called the most innovative painting since the work of Giotto, when Les Demoiselles d’Avignon first appeared it was as if the art world had collapsed. Known form and respresnetation were completely abandon. The reductionism and contortion of space in the painiting was incredible, and dislocation of faces explosive. Like any revolution, the shock waves reverbetrated and the inevitable outcome was Cubism. This large work, which took nine months to complete, exposes the true genius and novelty of Picasso’s passion.

Suddenly he found freedom of expression away from current and classical French influences and was able to carve his own path. Picasso created hundreds of sketches and studies in preparation for the final work. It was painted in Paris during the summer of 1907. Demoiselles was revolutionary and controversial, and led to anger and disagreement amongst his closest associates and friends. Picasso long acknowledged the importance of Spanish art and Iberian sculpture as influences on the painting. Picasso Paintings for sale Demoiselles is believed by critics to be influenced by African tribal masks and the art of Oceania, although Picasso denied the connection; many art historians remain skeptical about his denials. Several experts maintain that, at the very least, Picasso visited the Musée d’Ethnographie du Trocadero in the spring of 1907 where he saw and was unconsciously influenced by African and Tribal art several months before completing Demoiselles. Some critics argue that the painting was a reaction to Henri Matisse’s Le bonheur de vivre and Blue Nude. Picasso drew each figure differently. The woman pulling the curtain on the far right has heavy paint application throughout. Her head is the most cubist of all five, featuring sharp geometric shapes.

The cubist head of the crouching figure underwent at least two revisions from an Iberian figure to its current state. Much of the critical debate that has taken place over the years centers on attempting to account for this multiplicity of styles within the work. buy picasso painting Picasso Painting Les Demoiselles d’Avignon Tuesday, April 17th, 2012 Les Demoiselles d’Avignon was painted in 1907 by Pablo Picasso. It was called the most innovative painting since the work of Giotto, when Les Demoiselles d’Avignon first appeared it was as if the art world had collapsed. Known form and respresnetation were completely abandon. The reductionism and contortion of space in the painiting was incredible, and dislocation of faces explosive. Like any revolution, the shock waves reverbetrated and the inevitable outcome was Cubism. This large work, which took nine months to complete, exposes the true genius and novelty of Picasso’s passion. Suddenly he found freedom of expression away from current and classical French influences and was able to carve his own path.Picasso created hundreds of sketches and studies in preparation for the final work.

It was painted in Paris during the summer of 1907. Demoiselles was revolutionary and controversial, and led to anger and disagreement amongst his closest associates and friends. Picasso long acknowledged the importance of Spanish art and Iberian sculpture as influences on the painting. Picasso paintings for sale Demoiselles is believed by critics to be influenced by African tribal masks and the art of Oceania, although Picasso denied the connection; many art historians remain skeptical about his denials. Several experts maintain that, at the very least, Picasso visited the Musee d’Ethnographie du Trocadero in the spring of 1907 where he saw and was unconsciously influenced by African and Tribal art several months before completing Demoiselles. Some critics argue that the painting was a reaction to Henri Matisse’s Le bonheur de vivre and Blue Nude. Picasso drew each figure differently. The woman pulling the curtain on the far right has heavy paint application throughout. Her head is the most cubist of all five, featuring sharp geometric shapes. Picasso painting Joie De Vivire Sunday, April 15th, 2012 Picasso painting Joie De Vivire was painted in 1946.

This work, obviously a parody of Matisse’s celebrated work Bonheur de Vivre (1905-06), is often read as a celebration of peace. Henri Matisse lyrical work features nubile girls dancing and playing pipes in an idyllic setting as long, sensual curvaceous lines flow through the composition. Picasso’s copy is more overtly mythological, featuring with pipe-playing fauns and dancing creatures. However, he captures Matisses’s lyricism in the extended swirling lines of the figures, whose forms appear to grow organically like flowers moving upwards towards the Mediterranean sun. Picasso had finally returned to his favoured French Riviera to enjoy freedom from Occupation as well as burgeoning relationship with a young French artist, Francoise Gilot, whom he painted as a flower in 1946. picasso paintings for sale She is possibly the model for the central creature of this work, with its long flowing hair. The couple visited Matisse in Nice – it was probably Matisse’s request to paint Francoise with green hair that provoked Picasso to copy his rival’s earlier work with this large 120 x250 cm oil on fibreboard.

Picasso, 65 years old, and age with a very young woman and full of creative fervour. Francoise, 25, found she was pregnant shortly after this work was finished. buy Picasso painting Picasso Painting Seated Woman Friday, April 13th, 2012 Seated Woman (Marie-Therese) was painted by Picasso in 1937. This joyful work was painted at the start of an amazingly prolific year, in which Picasso produced many powerful creations, including Guernica (1937). The influence of his young love and muse had recharged him, and he became a legend in his own lifetime. This painting has a sense of harlequinade, as strong bright bands of colour are arranged so that the dress appears like a costume. The figure may also resemble a queen court card from a deck of playing cards, whose imagery is often designed with stripes and banding creatively reversed on the same plane. Here, the bands of colour are superbly controlled by the black or white striations to create a wonderful series of energetic patterns across the contours of the body. Pablo Picasso again returns to his technique of red and green polarisation to add a further dimension of animation.

This colour combination usually creates a flatness of the picture surface but he mitigates this beautifully with the construction of a Cubist sense of spatial depth. This is created by the illusion of the two corners in the tightly receding room behind the figure. As a result, the powerful body of Marie-Therese projects from the picture in sharp relief. Picasso Painting Dora Maar au Chat Thursday, April 12th, 2012 Dora Maar au Chat painting is one of Picasso’s most valued depictions of his lover and artistic companion. Their partnership had been one of intellectual exchange and intense passion—Dora was an artist, spoke Picasso’s native Spanish, and shared his political concerns. She even assisted with the execution of the monumental Guernica and produced the only photo-documentary of the work in progress. She was an intellectual force – a characteristic that both stimulated and challenged Picasso and her influence on him resulted in some of his most powerful and daring portraits of his 75-year career.

Among the best of them are the oils completed during the late 1930s and early 1940s, when Picasso’s art resonated with the drama and emotional upheaval of the era and which Dora came to personify. The luminous Dora Maar au Chat was painted in 1941, at the beginning of the Second World War in France. Maar was one of the most influential figures in Picasso’s life during their relationship and she also became his primary model. By the time he painted the present picture he had incorporated Dora Maar’s image into countless versions of this motif. During the occupation of Paris by the Nazis, and as tension mounted in their relationship, the artist would express his frustration by furiously abstracting her image, often portraying her in tears. While the present portrait might seem a departure from Picasso’s more hostile depictions of this model, it may be one of his most brilliant and biting provocations of his Weeping Woman. Picasso once likened Maar’s allure and temperament to that of an “Afghan cat”, and the cat in this picture is laden with significance.

In the history of art, the pairing of cats and women was an allusion to feminine wiles and sexual aggression, as exemplified in Manet’s notorious Olympia. It is also interesting to consider that the artist has paid particular attention to the sharp, talon-like nails on the long fingers of his model. In life Maar’s well-manicured hands were one of her most beautiful and distinctive features, and here they have taken on another, more violent characteristic. In addition to being a rare, three-quarter length portrait of Dora Maar, the present work is also a generous and painterly composition with an extraordinary attention to detail. The artist used an extraordinarily vibrant palette in his rendering of the angles of the chair and the patterning of Maar’s dress. The most embellished and symbolic element of the sitter’s wardrobe in this picture is her hat, Maar’s most famous accessory and signifier of her involvement in the Surrealist movement. Posted in Picasso painting | Comments Closed Search for: Guernica (painting) - The Full Wiki The Full Wiki More info on Guernica (painting) Wikis Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article!

This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles . Related top topics Portrait of Suzanne Bloch Did you know ... Bruno Fonseca 's paintings The War Murals, inspired by violence in Eastern Europe , have been called "the most powerful statement of their kind since Picasso 's great Guernica "? From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Guernica 349 cm × 776 cm (137.4 in × 305.5 in) Location Guernica is a painting by Pablo Picasso , depicting the bombing of Guernica , Basque Country , by German and Italian warplanes at the behest of the Spanish Nationalist forces, on April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War . The Spanish Republican government commissioned Pablo Picasso to create a large mural for the Spanish display at the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne (1937) Paris International Exposition in the 1937 World's Fair in Paris . Guernica shows the tragedies of war and the suffering it inflicts upon individuals, particularly innocent civilians .

This work has gained a monumental status, becoming a perpetual reminder of the tragedies of war, an anti-war symbol, and an embodiment of peace. On completion Guernica was displayed around the world in a brief tour, becoming famous and widely acclaimed. This tour helped bring the Spanish Civil War to the world's attention. Contents 9 External links The painting Guernica is blue, black and white, 3.5 metre (11 ft) tall and 7.8 metre (25.6 ft) wide, a mural-size canvas painted in oil. This painting can be seen in the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid . Picasso's purpose in painting it was to bring to the world's attention the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica by German bombers, who were supporting the Nationalist forces of General Franco during the Spanish Civil War. Picasso completed the painting by mid-June 1937. [1] Picasso exhibited his mural-size painting at the Spanish display at the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne (1937) (Paris International Exposition) in the 1937 World's Fair in Paris and then at other venues around the world.

The San Francisco Museum of Art (later SFMOMA ) gave the work its first public, free appearance in the United States from August 27 - September 19. The Museum of Modern Art in New York City then mounted an important Picasso exhibition on November 15, 1939 that remained on view until January 7, 1940, entitled: Picasso: 40 Years of His Art, that was organized by Alfred H. Barr (1902–1981), in collaboration with the Art Institute of Chicago . The exhibition contained 344 works, including Guernica and its studies. [2] Guernica shows suffering people, animals, and buildings wrenched by violence and chaos. The overall scene is within a room where, at an open end on the left, a wide-eyed bull stands over a woman grieving over a dead child in her arms. The centre is occupied by a horse falling in agony as it had just been run through by a spear or javelin. It is important to note that the large gaping wound in the horse's side is a major focus of the painting.

Two "hidden" images formed by the horse appear in Guernica: A human skull overlays the horse's body. A bull appears to gore the horse from underneath. The bull's head is formed mainly by the horse's entire front leg which has the knee on the ground. The leg's knee cap forms the head's nose. A horn appears within the horse's breast. The bull's tail forms the image of a flame with smoke rising from it, seemingly appearing in a window created by the lighter shade of gray surrounding it. Under the horse is a dead, apparently dismembered soldier; his hand on a severed arm still grasps a shattered sword from which a flower grows. On the open palm of the dead soldier is a stigma, a symbol of martyrdom derived from the stigmata of Christ. A light bulb blazes in the shape of an evil eye over the suffering horse's head (the bare bulb of the torturer's cell.) Picasso's intended symbolism in regards to this object is related to the Spanish word for lightbulb; "bombilla", which makes an allusion to "bomb" and therefore signifies the destructing effect which technology can have on society.

To the upper right of the horse, a frightened female figure, who seems to be witnessing the scenes before her, appears to have floated into the room through a window. Her arm, also floating in, carries a flame-lit lamp. The lamp is positioned very close to the bulb, and is a symbol of hope, clashing with the lightbulb. From the right, an awe-struck woman staggers towards the center below the floating female figure. She looks up blankly into the blazing light bulb. Daggers that suggest screaming replace the tongues of the bull, grieving woman, and horse. A bird, possibly a dove, stands on a shelf behind the bull in panic. On the far right, a figure with arms raised in terror is entrapped by fire from above and below. A dark wall with an open door defines the right end of the mural. Symbolism and interpretations Interpretations of Guernica vary widely and contradict one another. This extends, for example, to the mural's two dominant elements: the bull and the horse. Art historian Patricia Failing said, "The bull and the horse are important characters in Spanish culture. Picasso himself certainly used these characters to play many different roles over time.

This has made the task of interpreting the specific meaning of the bull and the horse very tough. Their relationship is a kind of ballet that was conceived in a variety of ways throughout Picasso's career." When pressed to explain them in Guernica, Picasso said, ...this bull is a bull and this horse is a horse... If you give a meaning to certain things in my paintings it may be very true, but it is not my idea to give this meaning. What ideas and conclusions you have got I obtained too, but instinctively, unconsciously. I make the painting for the painting. I paint the objects for what they are. [3] In " The Dream and Lie of Franco ," a series of narrative sketches also created for the World's Fair, Franco is depicted as a monster that first devours his own horse and later does battle with an angry bull. Work on these illustrations began before the bombing of Guernica, and four additional panels were added, three of these relate directly to the Guernica mural. Picasso said as he worked on the mural: "The Spanish struggle is the fight of reaction against the people, against freedom. My whole life as an artist has been nothing more than a continuous struggle against reaction and the death of art.

How could anybody think for a moment that I could be in agreement with reaction and death? ... In the panel on which I am working, which I shall call Guernica, and in all my recent works of art, I clearly express my abhorrence of the military caste which has sunk Spain in an ocean of pain and death. [4] However, according to scholar Beverly Ray [5] the following list of interpretations reflects the general consensus of historians: The shape and posture of the bodies express protest. Picasso uses black, white, and grey paint to set a somber mood and express pain and chaos. Flaming buildings and crumbling walls not only express the destruction of Guernica, but reflect the destructive power of civil war. The newspaper print used in the painting reflects how Picasso learned of the massacre. The light bulb in the painting represents the sun. The broken sword near the bottom of the painting symbolizes the defeat of the people at the hand of their tormentors. (Berger 1980; Chipp 1988) [5] Historical context See also: Spanish Civil War and Spanish Civil War, 1937 Guernica is a town in Spain's Basque country.

During the Spanish Civil War, it was regarded as the northern bastion of the Republican resistance movement and the epicenter of Basque culture, adding to its significance as a target. [6] The Republican forces were made up of assorted factions (Communists, Socialists, Anarchists, to name a few) with wildly differing approaches to government and eventual aims, but a common opposition to the Nationalists. The Nationalists, led by General Francisco Franco , were also factionalized but to a lesser extent. They sought a return to the golden days of Spain, based on law, order, and traditional Catholic family values. [7] An article "exposing the red myth" of Guernica by Jeffrey Hart of Dartmouth College was published in 1973 with the title "The Guernica Fraud" and reprinted in Die Welt and Il Tempo. In Il Tempo the article had as its title "Sensational Revelations Destroy a Myth". At about 16:30 on Monday, 26 April 1937, warplanes of the German Condor Legion , commanded by Colonel Wolfram von Richthofen , bombed Guernica for about two hours.

The Germans, who at this time were under Hitler's reign, were fighting in support of the Nationalists and using the war as an opportunity to test out new weapons and tactics. Later, intense aerial bombardment became a crucial preliminary step in the Blitzkrieg tactic . [6] [5] In his journal for 30 April 1937, von Richthofen wrote: When the first Junker squadron arrived, there was smoke already everywhere (from the VB [VB/88] which had attacked with 3 aircraft); nobody would identify the targets of roads, bridge, and suburb, and so they just dropped everything right into the center. The 250s toppled a number of houses and destroyed the water mains. The incendiaries now could spread and become effective. The materials of the houses: tile roofs, wooden porches, and half-timbering resulted in complete annihilation. Most inhabitants were away because of a holiday; a majority of the rest left town immediately at the beginning [of the bombardment].

A small number perished in shelters that were hit." [8] This account contains striking discrepancies from other accounts that state that the town's inhabitants were in fact congregated in the center of town, as it was market day, and when the bombardment commenced, were unable to escape the inferno because the roads leading out of the center of the town were full of debris and the bridges leading out of town had been destroyed. Guernica's location was at a major crossroads 10 kilometers from the front lines and between the front lines and Bilbao, the capital of Bizkaia. Any Republican retreat towards Bilbao and any Nationalist advance towards Bilbao had to pass through Guernica.

"During 25 April, many of the demoralized (Republican) troops from Marquina fell back on Guernica, which lay 10 kilometers behind the lines." [9] Wolfram von Richthofen's war diary entry for 26 April 1937 states, "K/88 [the Condor Legion bomber force] was targeted at Guernica in order to halt and disrupt the Red withdrawal which has to pass through here." The following day, Richthofen wrote in his war diary, "Guernica burning." [10] The Republican retreat towards Bilbao did pass through Guernica, before and after the bombing, and, as Beevor points out, "At Guernica the communist Rosa Luxembourg Battalion under Major Cristobal held back the nationalists for a time". [10] Guernica was a quiet village. The nearest military target of any consequence was a factory on the outskirts of the town, which manufactured various war products. The factory went through the attack unscathed. Thus, the motivation of the bombing was clearly one of intimidation. Furthermore, a majority of the town's men were away as they were fighting on behalf of the Republicans.

Thus, the town at the time of the bombing was populated mostly by women and children. [11] These demographics are reflected in the painting because, as Rudolf Arnheim writes, for Picasso: "The women and children make Guernica the image of innocent, defenseless humanity victimized. Also, women and children have often been presented by Picasso as the very perfection of mankind. An assault on women and children is, in Picasso's view, directed at the core of mankind." Clearly, the Nationalists sought to demoralize the Republicans and the civilian population as a whole by demonstrating their military might on a town that stood for traditional Basque culture and innocent civilians. [6] After the bombing, it was through the work of the Basque and Republican sympathizer and London Times journalist George Steer that propelled this event onto the international scene and brought it to Pablo Picasso's attention. Steer, who rushed to town, compiled his observations into an article that was published on April 28 in both The Times and The New York Times, and which on the 29th, appeared in L'Humanité , a French Communist daily.

Steer wrote: Guernica, the most ancient town of the Basques and the centre of their cultural tradition, was completely destroyed yesterday afternoon by insurgent air raiders. The bombardment of this open town far behind the lines occupied precisely three hours and a quarter, during which a powerful fleet of aeroplanes consisting of three types of German types, Junkers and Heinkel bombers, did not cease unloading on the town bombs weighing from 1,000 lbs. downwards and, it is calculated, more than 3,000 two-pounder aluminium incendiary projectiles. The fighters, meanwhile, plunged low from above the centre of the town to machinegun those of the civilian population who had taken refuge in the fields." [11] It was through this article that Picasso was made aware of what had gone on in his country of origin. At the time, he was working on a mural for the Paris Exhibition to be held in the summer of 1937, commissioned by the Spanish Republican government. He deserted his original idea and on May 1, 1937, began on Guernica.

This captivated his imagination unlike his previous idea, on which he had been working somewhat dispassionately, for a couple of months. It is interesting to note, however, that at its unveiling at the Paris Exhibition that summer, it garnered little attention. It would later attain its power as such a potent symbol of the destruction of war on innocent lives. [11] [5] 1937 Paris International Exhibition Guernica was initially exhibited in July 1937 at the Spanish Pavilion at the Paris International Exposition . [12] The Pavilion, which was financed by the Spanish Republican government at the time of civil war, was built to exhibit the Spanish government's struggle for existence contrary to the Exposition's technology theme. The Pavilion's entrance presented an enormous photographic mural of Republican soldiers accompanied by the slogan: We are fighting for the essential unity of Spain. We are fighting for the integrity of Spanish soil. We are fighting for the independence of our country and for the right of the Spanish people to determine their own destiny. The display of Guernica was accompanied by a poem by Paul Éluard , and the pavilion displayed works by Joan Miró and Alexander Calder , both of whom were sympathetic to the Republican cause.

Post-exhibition experiences After the Paris Exhibition, the painting went on tour, first to the Scandinavian capitals, then to London , where it arrived on September 30, 1938, the same day the Munich Agreement was signed by the leaders of the United Kingdom , France , Italy , and Germany . The London exhibition at the Whitechapel Art Gallery included preparatory studies and was organised by Roland Penrose with Clement Attlee addressing a public meeting. It then returned briefly to France; after the victory of Francisco Franco in Spain , the painting was sent to the United States to raise funds and support for Spanish refugees. At Picasso's request the safekeeping of the piece was entrusted to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City . It formed the centerpiece of a Picasso retrospective at MoMA which opened six weeks after the Nazi invasion of Poland .

[1] [13] Between 1939 and 1952, the painting traveled extensively in the United States; between 1953 and 1956 it was shown in Brazil , at the first-ever Picasso retrospective in Milan , Italy , and then in numerous other major European cities, before returning to MoMA for a retrospective celebrating Picasso's seventy-fifth birthday. It then went on to Chicago and Philadelphia . By this time, concern for the state of the painting resulted in a decision to keep it in one place: a room on MoMA's third floor, where it was accompanied by several of Picasso's preliminary studies and some of Dora Maar's photos. The studies and photos were often loaned for other exhibitions, but until 1981, Guernica itself remained at MoMA. [1] While living in Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II, Picasso suffered harassment from the Gestapo . One officer allegedly asked him, upon seeing a photo of Guernica in his apartment, "Did you do that?" Picasso responded, "No, you did." [14] During the Vietnam War , the room containing the painting became the site of occasional anti-war vigils.

These were usually peaceful and uneventful, but in 1974, Tony Shafrazi — ostensibly protesting Richard Nixon 's pardon of William Calley for the latter's actions during the My Lai massacre — defaced the painting with red spray paint, painting the words "KILL LIES ALL"; the paint was removed with relative ease from the varnished surface. [13] As early as 1968, Franco had expressed an interest in having Guernica return to Spain. [1] However, Picasso refused to allow this until the Spanish people again enjoyed a republic . He later added other conditions, such as the restoration of "public liberties and democratic institutions". Picasso died in 1973. Franco, ten years Picasso's junior, died two years later, in 1975. After Franco's death, Spain was transformed into a democratic constitutional monarchy , ratified by a new constitution in 1978. However, MOMA was reluctant to give up one of their greatest treasures and argued that a constitutional monarchy did not represent the republic that had been stipulated in Picasso's will as a condition for the painting's return.

Under great pressure from a number of observers, MOMA finally ceded the painting to Spain in 1981. The Spanish historian Javier Tusell was one of the negotiators. During the 1970s, it was a symbol for Spaniards of both the end of the Franco regime and of Basque nationalism . The Basque left has repeatedly used imagery from the picture. A tiled wall in Gernika claims "Guernica" Gernikara, "The Guernica (painting) to Gernika." In 1992 the painting was moved from the Museo del Prado to the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía , both in Madrid , along with about two dozen preparatory works. This action was controversial in Spain, since Picasso's will stated that the painting should be displayed at the Prado. However, the move was part of a transfer of all of the Prado's collections of art after the early 19th century to other nearby buildings in the city for reasons of space; the Reina Sofía, which houses the capital's national collection of 20th century art, was the natural place to move it to.

A special gallery was built at the Reina Sofía to display Picasso's masterpiece to best advantage. When first displayed in Spain, the painting was placed at El Casón del Buen Retiro, an annex to the Prado that housed early nineteenth century paintings but had a large enough wall. It was kept behind bullet-proof glass and guarded with machine guns . However, since that time there has never been any attempted vandalism or other security threat to the painting. In its present gallery, the painting has roughly the same protection as any other work at the Reina Sofía. [15] Basque nationalists have advocated that the picture should be brought to the Basque country, [16] especially after the building of the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum . Officials at the Reina Sofía claim [17] that the huge canvas is now thought to be too fragile to move. Even the staff of the Guggenheim do not see a permanent transfer of the painting as possible, although the Basque government continues to support the possibility of a temporary exhibition in Bilbao .

[15] Guernica at the United Nations A tapestry copy of Picasso's Guernica is displayed on the wall of the United Nations building in New York City , at the entrance to the Security Council room. Commissioned in 1955 by Nelson Rockefeller , and placed on loan to the United Nations by the Rockefeller estate in 1985, [18] the tapestry is less monochromatic than the original, and uses several shades of brown. On February 5, 2003 a large blue curtain was placed to cover this work, so that it would not be visible in the background when Colin Powell and John Negroponte gave press conferences at the United Nations. [19] On the following day, it was claimed that the curtain was placed there at the request of television news crews, who had complained that the wild lines and screaming figures made for a bad backdrop, and that a horse's hindquarters appeared just above the faces of any speakers. Some diplomats, however, in talks with journalists claimed that the Bush Administration pressured UN officials to cover the tapestry, rather than have it in the background while Powell or other U.S. diplomats argued for war on Iraq.

[20] According to The Washington Times in 2003, [21] the sequence was as follows: 1985: The tapestry copy of Guernica is hung at the U.N. Security Council, paid for by the estate of Nelson Rockefeller 2003, Monday 27 January: Guernica found covered by journalists with a baby-blue banner and an UN-logo. "It's only temporary. We're only doing this until the cameras leave," said UN-spokesperson Abdellatif Kabbaj. He clarified: "We had a problem with, you know, the horse" (that is, in the background of a camera-shoot). The drapes were installed Monday, Jan 27 and Wednesday, Jan 29 only. Other days of the week, including Tuesday in between, there was no drape. On these other days the UN-Security Councils agenda included Afghanistan, Western Sahara and Lebanon. On March 17, 2009, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Marie Okabe announced that the Guernica tapestry had been moved to a gallery in London in advance of extensive renovations at UN Headquarters.

The Guernica tapestry is the showcase piece for the grand reopening of the Whitechapel Gallery . It is located in the 'Guernica room' which was originally part of the old Whitechapel Library. [22] Notes ^ a b c d Timeline , part of a series of web pages on Guernica in PBS's Treasures of the World series. Accessed 16 July 2006. ^ Fluegel (1980), p. 350 ^ ...questions of meaning , part of a series of web pages on Guernica in PBS's Treasures of the World series. Accessed 16 July 2006. ^ Tóibín (2006). Pisik, Betsy. (2003) "The Picasso Cover-Up". The Washington Times, 3 Feb 2003. Re-published at CommonDreams.org . Accessed: 14 August 2009 Preston, Paul . (2007) "George Steer and Guernica." History Today 57 (2007): 12-19. Ray, Beverly.

(2006) "Analyzing Political Art to Get at Historical Fact: Guernica and the Spanish Civil War". The Social Studies 97 (2006): 168-171. Rubin, William, ed. (1980) Pablo Picasso, a retrospective. New York: The Museum of Modern Art . ISBN 0-87070-519-9 Thomas, Gordon & Morgan-Witts, Max. (1975). The Day Guernica Died. London: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0340190434 Tóibín, Colm. (2006) "The art of war" , London: The Guardian, 29 April 2006. Accessed: 14 August 2009.

External links Surprising Truths: Facts about Pablo Picasso's best painting -"Guernica" Wednesday, March 14, 2012 Facts about Pablo Picasso's best painting -"Guernica" 1) Guernica is Grey, black and white, 3.5 meters (11 ft) tall and 7.8 meters (25.6 ft) wide, a mural-size canvas painted in oil. 2) The overall scene is within a room where, at an open end on the left, a wide-eyed bull stands over a woman grieving over a dead child in her arms. 3) The center is occupied by a horse falling in agony as it had just been run through by a spear or javelin 4) It is important to note that the large gaping wound in the horse's side is a major focus of the painting. 5) There are two hidden images, A human skull overlays the horse's body and A bull appears to gore the horse from underneath. 6) The bull's tail forms the image of a flame with smoke rising from it, seemingly appearing in a window created by the lighter shade of gray surrounding it.

7) Under the horse is a dead, apparently dismembered soldier; his hand on a severed arm still grasps a shattered sword from which a flower grows. 8) A bird, possibly a dove, stands on a shelf behind the bull in panic. 9) On the far right, a figure with arms raised in terror is entrapped by fire from above and below. 10) A dark wall with an open door defines the right end of the mural. Guernica by Pablo Picasso Courtesy of Probably Picasso's most famous work, Guernica is certainly the his most powerful political statement, painted as an immediate reaction to the Nazi's devastating casual bombing practice on the Basque town of Guernica during Spanish Civil War. Guernica shows the tragedies of war and the suffering it inflicts upon individuals, particularly innocent civilians. This work has gained a monumental status, becoming a perpetual reminder of the tragedies of war, an anti-war symbol, and an embodiment of peace. On completion Guernica was displayed around the world in a brief tour, becoming famous and widely acclaimed. This tour helped bring the Spanish Civil War to the world's attention. This work is seen as an amalgmation of pastoral and epic styles.

The discarding of color intensifis the drama, producing a reportage quality as in a photographic record. Guernica is blue, black and white, 3.5 metre (11 ft) tall and 7.8 metre (25.6 ft) wide, a mural-size canvas painted in oil. This painting can be seen in the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid. Interpretations of Guernica vary widely and contradict one another. This extends, for example, to the mural's two dominant elements: the bull and the horse. Art historian Patricia Failing said, "The bull and the horse are important characters in Spanish culture. Picasso himself certainly used these characters to play many different roles over time. This has made the task of interpreting the specific meaning of the bull and the horse very tough. Their relationship is a kind of ballet that was conceived in a variety of ways throughout Picasso's career." Some critics warn against trusting the polital message in Guernica. For instance the rampaging bull, a major motif of destruction here, has previouse figured, whether as a bull or Minotaur, as Picasso' ego. However, in this instance the bull probably represents the onslaught of Fascism.

Picasso said it meant brutality and darkness, presumably reminiscent of his prophetic. He also stated that the horse represented the people of Guernica. 1000+ images about Pablo Picasso Paintings on Pinterest | Oil on canvas, Spanish and The old Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas Pablo Picasso Paintings Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga in 1881 and died in Mougins in France in 1973. Picasso helped developed a variety of forms and styles which had a decisive influence on 20th century art. Not only his painting is of major importance but also his graphic art, sculpture and ceramic work. In 1907, Picasso surprised the art world with Analytical Cubism, which shows an object broken down into its individual elements. 11 Pins1.17k Followers Visual Analysis of Picasso's Guernica - Cysgodion Archives Visual Analysis of Picasso's Guernica A Visual Analysis of Picasso’s Guernica Can sorrow or agony be broken down into their base code to be reproduced as a single image? If they can, then Pablo Picasso’s Guernica (See Figure 1.) comes as close as any representation could.

The cubist mural depicts the Spanish town of Guernica in the midst of chaos after it was viciously bombed by German and Italian forces during the Spanish Civil War. These forces attacked at the request of General Francisco Franco, leader of the Spanish nationalist faction. Guernica had once been the capital of Basque country an area of Spain deeply opposed to fascists like Franco. To ensure the attack was at its most effective, the date was set for Monday April 26, 1937. This was market day in Guernica, a day when at least ten thousand Basque citizens converged on the main town from all over the area. What followed was bloodshed at its most senseless, with its primary goal of demoralizing the Basque people. Picasso is said to have been inspired to create Guernica after reading of the town’s destruction in a newspaper. Picasso, a native born Spaniard, undoubtedly felt a great sorrow for his homeland’s troubles further motivating the creation of this work. Guernica is now considered by many to be one of Picasso’s finest and most recognizable masterpieces. The mural is a visual representation of the Spanish people’s hopeless suffering as well as the senseless brutality of Francisco Franco’s political ambition.

One of the more intriguing aspects of the piece is that it is done in monochrome. For the most part Picasso was known for his vibrant cubist paintings, so why did he choose shades of black and white? There are many theories on this aesthetic choice, but the color scheme is most likely meant to signify the dismal atmosphere after the attack. The lack of color helps emphasize the silence of the piece as if the action were frozen in time. Near the top of the mural hangs a lamp with a solar-like corona around it. This lamp is a clear reference to the sun, showing that not even its rays can bring light or warmth to the situation. The senseless carnage was beyond the reach of any glimmer of hope. Two of the most easily recognizable figures in the piece are the bull and the horse. As with all cubist paintings, the exact nature of these beasts is often up for debate. During this period the recurring theme of a bull or the Minotaur often appeared in Picasso’s various works. Is this bull just an extension of this pattern or does it hold a deeper meaning? For his part, Picasso was simply quoted as saying, “This bull is a bull and this horse is a horse...

If you give a meaning to certain things in my paintings it may be very true, but it is not my idea to give this meaning.” (PBS) This statement would seem to indicate that the artist leaves a certain amount of interpretation to each individual’s imagination. In that case, one way the two might be interpreted is that they represent the innocents lost as collateral in the war. Animals, who cannot speak for themselves, make a perfect metaphor for all the innocent villagers who never asked to be part of politicians’ and generals’ machinations. They went about their simple lives being content in what they had only to find themselves thrust into the forefront of battle. The horse is wild eyed and looks as though it were screaming while the bull looks too stunned to react, with its head at an impossible angle. Another conclusion might be that the animals represent the civil war’s disruption to the natural order, how human violence has poured over and corrupted nature itself. Finally, the most widespread images throughout the piece are those of the writhing and prone people. At first glance, the figures might appear to be the same but upon closer inspection it becomes clear that each represents a different facet of loss.

A figure to the far left can be seen holding a small body as tears stream down her face. Such a figure likely represents all the mothers who lost their children in the attack and now cry bitter tears. On the other side is a figure dragging a deformed leg behind him. Is this leg really deformed or does the image represent some injury caused either in the attack or in the chaos afterwards? Perhaps the leg represents the town itself, once proud and functioning and now mutilated. Above him is another man who appears to be drowning, perhaps in the sorrow of his ruined town. Conversely his proximity to a burning building could signify that he is actually trapped beneath its rubble. This could be why his lower body is not visible. To the left of this man, we see the wispy head of a woman emanating from a window. In the window there is a gnarled object that could be a hand. Perhaps this woman died in that building and the head is a representation of her spirit drifting away. The foundation the mural is a battered and prone soldier. The figure’s body appears to be distorted and broken; in his hand is a shattered sword. Not only does this man represent an individual casualty of war but also all the victims of this dreadful conflict.

His fall is the fall of his entire cause and the loss of all remaining hope to defeat Franco. Guernica represents a protest of the horrible cost of Spain’s civil conflict. This is not the only possible analysis. For example, a person with little knowledge of the artist’s motives might say that Guernica could be a warning or threat. A statement of propaganda by a fascist government who wishes to say, “This is what we did to Guernica, if you do not fall in line this will happen to you.” The flaw in this analysis is what we know of the artist Picasso. Picasso was a man of great passion who greatly opposed Franco and his government. It was his horror after learning what had happened in Guernica which prompted him to create the mural. Picasso would have never painted propaganda for the fascist cause. In fact, Picasso was so well known for his anti-fascist beliefs that while living in occupied Paris he was often the subject of Gestapo harassment. On one such occasion a German officer raiding his apartment came across a photo of the Guernica mural. The officer demanded “Did you do this?” Picasso calmly replied, “No, you did” (In Praise of).

The mural Guernica by Picasso has an incredible amount of action for a still image. It seeks to be a protest against Franco’s ruthlessness and succeeds in every way. No one can look at the mangled landscape and not feel that what happened there was wrong. Decades later, these images would still give anyone pause as they imagine the sounds the mural emits, even in its silence. Guernica was not of great strategic importance, but it was very symbolic. It came to represent the arrogant political ambition of Francisco Franco and his fascist party. Franco wanted his enemies to feel that his power was absolute and that no one was beyond his reach. Picasso however turned this event into something else with his mural. He did not paint Guernica so that others would despair and agonize over what was lost. His intent was to inspire his people to never give up the fight and make sure the lessons of Guernica are never forgotten. Bibliography PBS. "Treasures of the World... questions of meaning." 1999. PBS.org. 17 September 2013. < Picasso, Pablo. Guernica. 1937. Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.

The People Say Project.org. Web. 17, September, 2013. The Guardian. "In praise of ... Guernica." 25 March 2009. The Guardian. 17 September 2013. < Wikipedia. "Guernica." n.d. Wikipedia. 17 September 2013. < —. "Guernica (painting)." n.d. Wikipedia. 17 September 2013. . Fig. 1. Pablo Picasso, Guernica, a mural-size canvas painted in oil, 1937

Question: The mural-size canvas painted in oils, known as "Guernica", was painted by whom?
Answer: Pablo Picasso