Goya And Guernica Comparison

Two well-known painters, Pablo Picasso and Francisco Goya, created two paintings;
“Guernica” and “Executions of the Third of May”. These two paintings bring up many differences in each of the artists styles, but also reminds us how much each is the same when it comes to content. The formal visual elements are very different at first glance, but once you look into the painting more you can see many similarities that lead to the subject matter and content. These paintings have a great and similar history behind them even though they are from two majorly different time periods.
“Guernica”, being one of the most famous paintings of the 20th century, depicts an event that took place during the Spanish Civil war. He painted this as a reaction to
In 1936, Picasso was asked by the newly elected Spanish government to paint an artwork for the Spanish Pavilion at the 1937 Pairs World’s fair. The official theme of the Exposition was a celebration of modern technology. Picasso had little interest in politics, yet he painted an overtly political painting being inspired by the crimes against humanity and the act of war. Picasso was sympathetic to the Republican government and his homeland, he was horrified by the reports of devastation and death. “Guernica” is his visual response, his memorial to the brutal massacre. In the painting you can see victims of the bombing, some living and some already dead. On the far left is women screaming in grief, holding the lifeless body of her dead child. To the women’s right is the head and partial body of a large bull, the only unharmed and calm figure in the painting. There is also a horse, three women, and several other figures in the painting all their faces distorted in agony. “Guernica’s composition appears confusing and chaotic. The images overlap and intersect, making it hard to distinguish their boundaries. The style of this painting reflects Picasso’s earlier cubist style. There has been a lot of
Napoleon’s troops marched into Medina del Rio Seco to be met by 21,000 Spanish troops protecting their city. Napoleon’s troops lost 1,000 men, while the Spanish lost 3,500. Goya’s painting reveals the fear and suffering of the Spanish, while Napoleon’s troops show no mercy. The painting is 8 feet and 9 inches by 13 feet and 4 inches. The mood of the painting is very bleak and somber. The colors the artist has chosen are earth tones, and there is a strong dark and light contrast. The dramatic lighting technique can be seen in the central figure the young Spanish Man with his arm’s outstretched. The implied lines of the guns lead the viewer’s eye to the focal point. The man is a Christ figure. His stance is similar to Christ on the Cross. A soft light reflects behind him, creating a feeling of spirituality. His clean white shirt is different compared to other Spaniards. The town’s people were wearing dirty, blood stained cloths. The man has his arms spread in a “V” which represents peace. The troops unsoiled clothing shows how the troops were above the dirty clothing, placing them at a higher level than the victims. Texturally the Spanish countrymen are softer. The artist has created looser brushstrokes and a duller surface. This in contrast to the shiner surface of the