Guernica by Pablo Picasso

Guernicais among the most symbolic works of the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. In it, the painter expresses the bombing of the Spanish city of Guernica, which took place in April 1937.

During the spanish civil war (1936–1939), the small town was destroyed by nationalist forces supporting General Francisco Franco.

The objective of the attack was to promote barbarism, as this region was not seen as a war strategy either for the republicans or for the Francoist army. Thus, the attack on Guernica represented the darkest side of being human.

Produced in the same year as the bombing, in 1937, the work is currently on display at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, in Madrid, Spain.

Guernica is considered the main work that portrays the horrors of the Spanish Civil War, in addition to being seen as one of the most important paintings in history of world art.

Guernica and the Spanish Civil War

Guernica is a city located in the north of Spain. Bombed on April 26, 1937, the city, which concentrated a Basque urban center, was chosen to be the target of air attacks.

This small town was involved in historical events that involved friction between the Spanish and the Basques.

In 1936, the Spanish government officialized the autonomy of the Basques. This action made the nationalists see this region as a place full of traitors.

Thus, the nationalists received political and military support from the nazis who were responsible for bombing the city, inhabited by 6 thousand people.

Thousands of people were injured and hundreds more died.

Analysis of the work Guernica

Guernica it's an oil paintingwhich measures about 3.49 meters high by 7.76 meters long. Picasso produced it in just five weeks.

His inspiration came from the photos of the attack published in newspapers at the time. Thus, he reproduced the bombing of the city of Guernica, provoked by the Germans.

The work carries with it a political character when it pays attention to the destructive power of war. With cubist features, Guernica portrays the dire consequences of the attacks made on the city.

The characters demonstrate despair and screams of horror. On the left, there is a dead soldier on the ground, a woman with an injured leg and another who is crying over the death of her baby. On the other side, a woman suffers from being hit by fire.

Note the presence of animals and buildings, symbols of Spanish culture. Another feature that deserves to be highlighted is the choice of colors.

Picasso selected white, black and some shades of gray to compose his work. With a monochrome style, he made reference to the photographs that influenced him in the production of the work.

There are researchers who claim that Picasso's monochrome originates from the painter's engravings goya, titled as war disasters.

Regarded as the symbol of modern Art and the anti-fascist struggle, Guernica sought to demonstrate in the most impactful way the atrocities of war.

Picasso lived in France when the country was occupied by the Nazi fronts, during the Second World War.

It is said that there he was interrogated by Nazi soldiers if he had done “that”, pointing to a photograph of the work. Guernica. Picasso replied to the officer: “No. You made".

Pablo Picasso

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