Picasso: “In the Guernica panel I’m working on, I express my disgust for the military caste that has submerged Spain in an ocean of death and pain.”
What are the benefits of protesting a conflict? Picasso displayed Guernica at the Paris World Fair in 1937 to show his anger towards a conflict. The painting has since become a powerful statement against war. Picasso painted Guernica after the bombings of Guernica in the Spanish Civil War. He did so to create a symbol against war, to show his loyalty to Spain and to express himself.
Picasso painted Guernica as a result of a government commission. Commission is a way to pay for someone’s work for the government. Picasso was commissioned to paint a painting for an exhibition at the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne in Paris (France) on May 25, 2007 (Preston,2007). The fair would feature exhibitions by artists from around the world and showcase some of the best technological and science achievements in history. The sixth edition of the event was a huge success, with exhibits from past events receiving a lot of attention. It was such a huge event that, for its fourth edition in 1889 the Eiffel Tower became the focal point. Picasso had a great deal of responsibility to bear (Read,1999). Picasso lived in France during this time. The Spanish Civil War broke out just months before. For a long period of time, he accepted the commission without any inspiration. He had originally planned to create a painting about an artist’s workshop, but never felt a real connection with that project. Then, on April 26th, 1937, a mere month before the scheduled exhibition, all of this changed. German and Italian warplanes bombarded Guernica during the Spanish Civil War (Preston, 2007, Spain). It is debated how many civilians died in the area as a result of this bombing. Picasso’s commissioned painting was finally inspired by the piece he had commissioned. The negative effects of warfare technology were not anticipated by an exhibition celebrating technological advancement. The commission was itself an outlet for Picasso, who used it to paint Guernica, one of the most beloved and iconic works in his oeuvre.
Picasso’s Guernica painting was also intended to be an anti-war icon. A symbol of peace that is against a war is an anti-war. The Spanish Civil War involved the conflict between a then existing Spanish Nationalist Government (Musciano) and a leftist revolutionary Secondary Government supporting democracy. The Guernica bombing was especially impactful, because the nationalist ruling government ordered it to attack and target its own innocent citizens for political gain. Picasso was outraged by the news of the bombing, even though he lived in France but still had Spanish citizenship. Picasso began the first draft of Guernica, Cantelupe (71), just five days after the bombing, which occurred on April 26th, 1937. Picasso’s painting illustrates war tragedies and the lengths institutions will go for power. It even includes the killing of innocents and the suffering of millions. The painting depicts individuals with sad expressions and a sense of despair. The black, gray, and white color palettes enhance the horrors of war. Guernica became a symbol for the horrors and suffering of war in that time period. Picasso was able to use it as a tool for anti-war and peace. Picasso wanted to express his desire to end war through his art, and Guernica was the perfect piece to do that. Picasso said that his entire life as an art was a constant struggle against reaction, and the death or art. How could anyone think that he would agree with death and reaction? It became the symbol of peace and tolerance, anti-nationalistic governments taking advantage of innocent citizens, and Picasso’s entry into politics.
Picasso painted Guernica to show his political loyalty towards Spain. Political loyalty is the commitment or devotion to a particular political cause or community. Picasso never had a strong interest in politics or social causes before the bombing. Picasso did not have a country he belonged to. He was Spanish, but he spent most of the time in France. He was not loyal to the country in which he was raised. After the bombing in Guernica this changed. Picasso felt compelled to defend the innocent civilians in his native country. Picasso felt a strong need to show his loyalty to Spain. This loyalty, however, was not to the government but rather to a country. Picasso wanted to make a statement against war and also form a political partnership with the people in Spain. Picasso thought that Spain was being used as a war playground by governments, who did not care about the deaths of innocent civilians. This needed to be changed. He was loyal to the cause of liberating Spain from fascist rule (Thomas, 2000). This political loyalty to Spain was a driving force behind the painting of Guernica. He used it to promote his political views, ideologies and to exploit the power of Guernica. The painting was then sent on a tour of the world, but Picasso would not allow it to enter Spain until the Spanish Civil War had been resolved. The results favored the new leftist government (Koenderink 2012). In reality, the painting raised funds to help Spanish civilians and refugee families, as well a drawing attention globally by highlighting the atrocities that occurred during the civil war. Guernica was the result of his desire to become politically active. Although he was not a politician himself, he still used his art to promote political awareness.
“In the Guernica-style panel that I have been working on, I express clearly my hatred for the caste of military men who have submerged Spain into a sea full of pain and suffering.”