Guernica

Picasso's Guernica, 1937

                Pablo Picasso’s Guernica represents the destruction of the small Basque city, Guernica, in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War. The Civil War broke out in 1936 as two parties, the Nationalist rebels and the Republican Party (who maintained political control up to that point) vied for control of the Spanish government (Spanish Civil War). The Nationalists, led by Francisco Franco, received support from Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany while the Soviet Union and the International Brigade (a coalition of volunteers who represented various European countries and the United States) aided the Republicans (Spanish Civil War). After a year of fighting over Spanish territories and mainland, the Nationalist’s German affiliates bombed Guernica on April 26, 1937 (Chip 101). Guernica was not a city equipped for the ramifications of war and therefore collapsed under the aerial attack. Women and children comprised the majority of casualties (Sandberg 246). The bombing of the defenseless population resulted in international condemnation. On May 1st, Picasso began work on Guernica. The painting was commissioned by the Republican government as a response to the brutality of war and the loss of the innocent (Guernica). 

                Guernica unites the realms of cubism and politics to express the grief felt by the Spanish public. The tone of Picasso’s work lays the foundation of the subject matter: the blues, grays, and black colors create a somber quality that is necessary for recounting the deaths of Guernica’s citizens. Various subjects, like the hysteric mother who cradles her dead child, the frantic horse, and the terrified figure on the farthermost right represent the immediate panic and fear that is a natural product of war. The nearly identical expressions of confusion and incredulity shared by the bull, the dead man sprawled underneath the horse, and the “floating” female face (upper right hand corner) demonstrate the chaos that war brings to any location (Guernica). The solitary lamp held by the outstretched arm offsets the exploding light bulb, offering light in the midst of darkness. A woman is entranced by this object, as if her salvation from this room of hell—her world—is dependent upon it. The buckled knee of the horse smashes a flower, alluding to the destruction of the world’s beauty. 

                Picasso portrays the devastation of Guernica with his trademark cubist and abstract style of art. Cubism and abstract art do not portray an ideal; rather, they accentuate the harsh realities of an imperfect world. These styles of art allow Picasso to show not only the lawlessness of conflict directed towards innocent civilians, but also the broken condition of society as a consequence to war.  Moreover, Picasso uses Guernica to express the negative ramifications of war and to commemorate the slaughter of Guernica’s citizens. 

Works Cited

Chip, Hershel B. “Guernica: Love, War, and the Bullfight.” Art Journal 33.2 (1973-74): 100-115. Print.

Duikier William J. and Jackson J. Spielvogel, eds. World History. 5th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomas Wadsworth, 2007.

“Guernica (painting).” Wikipedia. 29 Apr 2011. Wikimedia Foundation. 1 May 2011.

International World History Project. The Spanish Civil War. International World History Project. Jan 2007. Web. 1 May 2011.

Picasso, Pablo. Pablo Picasso: Guernica. Pablo Picasso. 2008. Web. 19 Apr 2011.

Sandberg, W. J. H. B. “Picasso’s Guernica.” Daedalus 89.1 (1960): 245-252. Print.