Pablo Picasso's Painting That Happened At Guernica

Throughout history, artists have used their artworks to make strong statements. They often times want their artworks to have a certain meaning behind them. During the Spanish Civil War in 1937, the Nazis bombed the Basque town of Guernica. This bombing left tragedy and despair throughout the country. Pablo Picasso was inspired to create a work of art to represent the devastation that happened at Guernica. He created a scene that perfectly describes what war is like. He wanted to be a symbol for peace, and to show the world what civilians have to go through during war time. Because of his excellent depictions, Guernica became one of Picasso’s most famous creations. The bombing of Guernica was an important moment in history. The Nazis
left destruction and devastation in Guernica when they bombed it in 1937. The bombing killed many innocent people who didn’t have anything to do with the war. Pablo Picasso’s Guernica shows what war can do to a community and a country. He wanted to show that violence can never win. In his painting, Picasso showed women, men, and animals suffering from something. Everything in the painting looks to be falling apart. Picasso made the painting very chaotic and wild. There is a lot going on throughout the entirety of the painting. A woman is holding a dead infant, and building in the background are being torn apart. Because the painting shows people and animals who appear to be dead or injured, it is believed that Picasso was sending a message about the violence of war. Picasso wanted to show people how war can hurt innocent people, and how terrifying it can be. He wanted to show that everybody is affected by war, especially civilians. He believed that civilians shouldn’t be the ones to pay the price during war time. Along with representing the destructions of war, Guernica has also been a representation of peace. Many people believe that Picasso was trying to show that violence isn’t the answer. Guernica has been widely considered to be an anti-war symbol and a peace symbol. Guernica isn’t designed like a typical painting either. Guernica is an oil painting that didn’t have a lot of color to it. Picasso used colors like grey, white, and black in Guernica because he wanted the painting to give off a depressing mood to it. He intentionally didn’t use bright or vivid colors because he didn’t want the painting to be bright or colorful. He wanted the audience to feel the despair and depressing mood that war gives off. He also used these colors to represent death and tragedy. Another unique feature about the painting are the lines and shapes in the painting. Picasso chose to use linear painting and to not use three-dimensional images. He chose all of these unique styles of painting because he wanted the audience to focus more on the message and the people of the image. He didn’t want bright colors and unnecessary shapes to get in the way of what he was trying to represent. The darkness and simplicity of the painting can clearly show what the painting is all about. The audience can almost feel the tragedy that happened the day of the bombing. If the painting had bright colors and distracting shapes, the message could get misinterpreted. Another distinct quality about the painting is that the people have their mouths open. This could be perceived many different ways. I believe that the people have their mouths open because they are screaming in pain because of the bombing. The people have seen tragedy first hand, and the people who survived the original bombing were probably screaming in horror at what just happened to their town. I think Picasso realized this, so he wanted to depict the people in his painting like how they would be in the real life scenario. These people have been through the most traumatic experiences of their lives. They have seen their loved ones die right next to them. The woman holding the baby is the perfect example because that infant could be her own. Picasso showed us how awful the bombing was by helping us see the devastation it had on people’s lives. Another strange detail Picasso decided to put in Guernica was his use of animals in the painting.
In several spots on the painting, the audience can see a bull and a horse. I believe there is a deeper meaning as to why there are animals in Picasso’s work. I think the animals represent humans and animals intertwined on this planet. Picasso could have thought that animals and humans both have valued lives on this planet. If an animal or a human is faced with death, both of them will exert fear and sadness. Picasso is showing that humans and animals both have perceptions of death, and that humans and animals are not different after all. Because Picasso used a lot of symbolism in this painting, there are many images that can have several interpretations. In the painting, there is a light bulb and a broken sword. Both of these objects can mean several different things. The broken sword could be a symbol for how in war, nobody wins because both sides can suffer tremendous losses. Even though there can be a truce or a surrender, both sides will always suffer some sort of loss. The bombing of Guernica caused so much tragedy and pain for Spain during the Spanish Civil War. In every war, there is always death and despair, even if somebody comes out on top. Pablo Picasso decided to show the world the horrors of war and what it can do to people. His painting, Guernica, shows the death and darkness that war brings. Picasso’s unique style of painting helped make this artwork a masterpiece.
Every detail helps viewers see how chaotic and violent wars can get. Because of Picasso, Guernica will always be considered one of greatest artworks every created.