Lai Mei Yu (May) talks on Pablo Picasso: Guernica (1937)

Artist: Pablo Picasso
Year: 1937
Type: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 349 cm × 776 cm (137.4 in × 305.5 in)
Location: Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid  Spain

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*an explanation of how the work fits into a broader style or movement (eg Realism) and the specific historical context (eg the mid 19th century in France).
This painting shows cubism style, which mix the real things into the symbolism.
This painting was requested by the Spain Government on 1936 to display in the Paris Expo. There were around 44 pieces of composition study before the final sketch was put on the canvas.
1. For the Cubism, it was a 20th century avant garde art movement develop by Picasso. In Cubism painting, they are usually compose of the flat and block. Cubism painting can be shading or less shading. It shows the three-dimensional subject matter in such a different way. In this painting, it consist of combination of several flat blocks with simple gray colour. Also, the lines are very clear and simple.
2. For the symbolism, the subject matter in this painting was not depicted in a “real” way, but actually representing the real event. Actually,  this painting's completion was catalyzed by a historical event-- Bombing of Guernica on April 26, 1937. during the Spanish Civic War. There were 9 main characters included in this painting, which symbolize different ideas. I would explain it
in the later part.

 *A description of the work
Composition:It consist of clear disort line and shape. For the space, there was a central triangle with rectangle (& triangle) in other 2 sides. The tone of this painting is gray. The painting is flat without creating the depth of the perspective. There are not a lot shading in the figure.
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Subject matters: There are 9 main characters shown in the painting: bull, mother, child, warrior, bird, horse, light bearer, fugitive and falling woman. The subject matter was depicted in the distort and exaggerate style. They also have different attitudes and sentiments in the painting, which represent the ideas and views of Picasso.

People would always look at this painting from the left to the right.
Bull:   It was facing upright, leftward and forward. Bull is always represent as courage, pride and stability. The bull in this painting was treated as the cruel and the darkness of the war or tyrant.
Mother:  It was facing uprights and upward, and shows the sentiments of lament(sadness) and imploration. (request something from the bottom of the heart)
Child:   It was facing downward and means death.
The mother and child were defined as victims of the war. The mother was cried out for the death of child towards sky, while the child was closing his eyes because of the death. There were a big contrast for this two figures, one is active and one is silent. The bull was standing behind them, however, it was not facing them.
Bird:  It was facing upward and standing behind the bull. However, it is quite difficult to see the bird. Some people claim that it shows the lament and ascent feeling, but still it's not confirmed.
Light bearer: It was placed near to the top center on the left. It looks like the sun and showing the hope of winning the war and the peace. It shows it concern and quest sentiments.
Warrior: It was horizontal and facing upward,and lying on the ground, showing a collapse figure. He was opening his eyes, holding a sword in his hand and looking at the mother and child. However, it looks nearly die. This can represent the collapse of the power of the war. The military situation at that time was: the Fascism was invaded and attacked Spain.
Horse:  It was facing upwards and leftwards, and shown the agony. (mentally painful) The horse was looking at the victims with scary face, which represent the citizens were afraid of the war and death. There was a worry face towards the horse,whose taking a lamp. This shown that she knew about the truth of war after went out from home. (country)
Fugitive: (people who are escaping) It was diagonal and facing left-upward. It shows the anxiety and quest. She is trying to escape and finding some place to hind.
Falling woman: It was facing upward, downward and diagonal. It shows the sentiments of panic and imploration as she was depicted as falling quickly. There was a burning building on the top of the woman. It gave a big contrast between the active figure and the plan floor.

The animal subject matter were actually showing the human's views and ideas.

 * one key quote about the work in question
“Duplications of characters, attitudes, and sentiments were eliminated, either by removal of the duplicate— as with the dead woman in the first state of the mural, who prefigured the warrior and was superseded by him— or by assigning different functions to the duplicates and thus enriching the whole. As a result of the artist's functions to the duplicates and thus enriching the whole. As a result of the artist's efforts the final work presents a maximum of substance in the simplest possible form. ” said by Rudolf Arnheim.

* why this work interests you/ your own opinion of the work
 This work is interest me at first because Picasso was tried to paint the “low-relief” on a plane canvas. It was an innovation at that time. Actually, Picasso painted lots of painting, while with a great changes of painting style during his life.
 Secondly, the gray tone of this painting really attract my attention. It gives me a sad atmosphere about the painting, which is a clear idea of the painting.
 Thirdly, there were several subject matter on this painting. Many art critic were trying to find out the meaning of these subject matter. It was because Picasso were not explained them clearly. Especially for the bull, there were lots of meaning within the art critics. Picasso was born in Spain. I agree that bullfighting is a famous traditional culture in Spain. Picasso must had been affected by the idea of bullfighting, and including the bull in Guernica. Bull is a symbol of aggressive and strength.

* names of authors, titles of articles, books or websites (and publication information) that are especially relevant to this work
1. 畢家索等 (1973). 畢家索藝術的秘密. Taiwan: 志文出版者社.
2. Russell Martin (2002). Picasso's War: The Destruction of Guernica and the Masterpiece that Changed the World. NY: Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society.
3. Rudolf Arnheim (1973). The Genesis of a painting: Picasso's Guernica. London: University of California Press, LTD.
4. Marie-laure Bernadac, Paule Du Bouche (1998). 畢卡索 : 新畫派的宗師, Taibei: 時報文化出版企業有限公司.

* a thought-provoking question about the work for the class
There are lots of painting depicting about the war, like Francisco Goya ,The Third of May ,1814.
These realism painting depicted the actual war scene.
However, Picasso's Guernica represented the war scene in an abstract way.
Which way of depiction of real life scene do you think that's better? Why?