9.21.2010

A Not So Pretty Picture

{Picasso's Guernica, 1937}

Guernica is not my kind of painting to look at.  Visually, surrealism in a monochromatic palette is not really my thing.  But in the five years I studied Art History it was the piece of art that had the most memorable backstory, so I thought I would share it.  Picasso's Guernica was first displayed at the 1937 World's Fair in Paris, an exposition that was notable for several reasons.  It counted amongst its exhibitors the Nazi Germany pavilion, the Soviet Union pavilion (ironically placed across from one another and the only two pavilions to be completely finished on time) and a Spanish pavilion that attracted considerable attention in view of the fact that Spain was, at the time, in the midst of a bitter civil war.  It was while working on a mural for this event that Picasso read this newspaper article about a small town in northern Spain, of no military significance, occupied primarily by women and children, that had been devastated in a carpet bombing experiment conducted by Hitler & Mussolini at the behest of Spanish Nationalist Party leader General Franco.  Scrapping his original plan, Picasso set to work on a massive 3.5m x 7.8m painting invoking what he imagined to be the stark nightmare of the experience and demonstrating his opposition to the broader military conflict at hand.  He expressed that he wanted viewers to respond emotionally to the piece, and for this reason never fully explained the meanings of all the figures.  Following Franco's rise to power in 1939 Picasso sent the painting to the Museum of Modern Art in New York for safekeeping, where it remained until 1981.  In the years since its debut Guernica has become known as a symbol of the tragedies of war and its destructive effect on innocent lives.  Haunting and dark, Picasso's masterpiece definitely isn't pretty.  But then again, it isn't supposed to be.  

11 comments:

Unknown said...

coach purses
michael kors
replica watches
jeremy scott adidas
air jordans
moncler jackets
louis vuitton
oakley sunglasses
coach factory
jordan 11s
louis vuitton outlet
michael kors outlet online
concord 11
chi hair strighteners
ray ban eyeglasses
jordan 6 cigar
burberry scarf
ugg boots clearance
coach outlet
jordan 6 rings
louis vuitton
coco chanel
canada goose outlet online
michael kors handbags
red bottom shoes
mont blanc pen
coach factory outlet online
ugg boots outlet
hollister kids
tory burch outlet online
jordan 11 concord low
coach outlet store online
coach factory outlet
cheap toms
nfl jerseys
louis vuitton

chenlina said...

chenlina20160227
the north face outlet
air force 1
cheap jordans
true religion outlet
oakley sunglasses
coach outlet
michael kors outlet online
celine outlet
nike huarache shoes
ray ban sunglasses
louis vuitton outlet
michael kors outlet
kobe bryant shoes
kobe 9
michael kors outlet online
instyler max
tods shoes
p90x
christian louboutin outlet
oakley sunglasses
coach outlet store online
toms outlet
christian louboutin shoes
celine handbags
supra shoes
lebron shoes
ray ban sunglasses
cheap oakley sunglasses
hollister
oakley sunglasses cheap
jordan retro
louis vuitton outlet
canada goose jackets
tiffany and co
uggs outlet
mulberry handbags
jordan concords
ray ban sunglasses
cheap air max
ralph lauren uk
as

caiyan said...

ray ban sunglasses discount
ugg boots sale
michael kors handbags
coach outlet
polo ralph lauren
kate spade handbags
nike flyknit
rolex watches
coach outlet
supra for sale
20161108ciayan

Unknown said...

michael kors outlet online
pandora charms
seahawks jersey
miami dolphins jerseys
replica rolex
michael kors handbags
michael kors outlet store
hugo boss sale
gucci outlet
canada goose jackets

Unknown said...

adidas nmd
ugg outlet store
coach outlet store online
fitflop shoes
pandora jewelry
uggs outlet
ray ban sunglasses
coach handbags
adidas superstar
timberland boots
2016.12.19chenlixiang

chenmeinv0 said...

ugg slippers
canada goose
ray bans uk
louis vuitton outlet
tiffany and co
michael kors outlet
ray ban sunglasses
ray ban sunglasses
christian louboutin pas cher
scarpe hogan
20173.3chenjinyan

Unknown said...

beats wireless headphones
cheap jordan shoes
coach factory outlet online
birkenstock outlet
rolex replica watches for sale
true religion uk
michael kors outlet clearance
pandora
coach outlet online
polo ralph lauren outlet online
170508yueqin

Unknown said...

coach outlet store online clearances
true religion
ugg outlet
red bottoms
ugg outlet store
yeezy boost 350
oakley sunglasses outlet
pandora outlet
ralph lauren sale clearance
pandora charms
mt0718

Unknown said...

20180604 xiaoou
air force 1 shoes
gucci outlet online
toms outlet
michael kors outlet online
true religion outlet uk
guess factory
calvin klein jeans
michael kors wallets for women
2018 world cup jerseys
nike air huarache

qqqqqqqqqqqq said...

pandora charms
oakley sunglasses
reebok outlet
hermes birkin
hogan outlet online
tory burch outlet
yeezy boost 350 v2

Benson said...

zx flux
nike air max 270
hermes belts for men
nmd
jordan shoes
adidas stan smith
calvin klein underwear
jordan shoes
ultra boost
nike air max

Post a Comment

Blogging tips