Wall Label This painting was complete in mid-June in the year 1937 in time to be featured in France’s World Fair, after the bombing of the town Guernica in Spain on April 26 of that same year.i Pablo Picasso was known not to be very involved with politics in till the takeover of Spain by Socialists and Communist groups in 1936. This takeover lead to many revolts that resulted in the bombing of the town of Guernica. Picasso having been born and raised in Spain felt great pain when hearing about the bombing and the death of many innocent people in his country, which lead him to creating this painting. This artwork incorporates many symbols that work together to give the painting a powerful meaning about the consequences of war.i
The painting …show more content…
[ii] The painting contains seven figures that are divided into two distinct groups by triangles going down the middle of the piece. No colours are seen in this artwork, instead Picasso stuck with the shades black, grey and white. One the left side of the painting, there a bull stands, near the right side of the bull’s head there is a bird that is flying towards a light. Underneath the bull, there is a mother kneeling as she holds her dead baby in her hands; both her and her baby have their heads thrown back, but her mouth, unlike her baby’s, is open in a scream like manner. Below them, there is a statue of a warrior with a sword and flowers in hands; all seem to be broken. A stabbed horse that is letting out a scream, is placed in the center of the painting. In the upper right center, there is a woman that is leaning out of a window of a building that is on fire, while she is holds a torch. Below this woman is another woman who appears to be trying to flee the scene. On the right side of the painting, there is a woman who is falling out of a window of a burning building. It took Picasso 45 stretches to come to this final design for this final painting that was displayed in France’s World …show more content…
The first method that can be used to analyze Guernica is art biography. It’s important to know Picasso’s motives behind choosing to create artwork in order to comprehend the true meaning of the artwork, which could potentially lead to the painting having more power (leaving a greater impression) on its’ viewer. This is ideal because Picasso wanted this painting to be overall a universal symbol of the tragedies of war. So even if the viewer doesn’t recognize cultural symbols of Spain that hints this has to do with a tragic event that took place in Spain, by knowing the art biography, the viewer will acquire the knowledge of the bombing of the town Guernica in country Picasso was born in. Knowing this, the viewer can feel sympathy for this town, especially if they are able to imagine how much pain they would be in if a part of the country they were born in was bombed. The second method that can be applied is the method semiotics. Take the women holding a torch while leaning outside of a window, this is a powerful symbol. The light coming from the torch the women is holding represents enlightenment in Spanish culture, similarly to the meaning behind the statue of liberty in Western culture.i Those who are a part of Western and Spanish culture are more likely to recognize this symbol and understand the meaning of it, making it easier for them to understand the painting.
The painting …show more content…
[ii] The painting contains seven figures that are divided into two distinct groups by triangles going down the middle of the piece. No colours are seen in this artwork, instead Picasso stuck with the shades black, grey and white. One the left side of the painting, there a bull stands, near the right side of the bull’s head there is a bird that is flying towards a light. Underneath the bull, there is a mother kneeling as she holds her dead baby in her hands; both her and her baby have their heads thrown back, but her mouth, unlike her baby’s, is open in a scream like manner. Below them, there is a statue of a warrior with a sword and flowers in hands; all seem to be broken. A stabbed horse that is letting out a scream, is placed in the center of the painting. In the upper right center, there is a woman that is leaning out of a window of a building that is on fire, while she is holds a torch. Below this woman is another woman who appears to be trying to flee the scene. On the right side of the painting, there is a woman who is falling out of a window of a burning building. It took Picasso 45 stretches to come to this final design for this final painting that was displayed in France’s World …show more content…
The first method that can be used to analyze Guernica is art biography. It’s important to know Picasso’s motives behind choosing to create artwork in order to comprehend the true meaning of the artwork, which could potentially lead to the painting having more power (leaving a greater impression) on its’ viewer. This is ideal because Picasso wanted this painting to be overall a universal symbol of the tragedies of war. So even if the viewer doesn’t recognize cultural symbols of Spain that hints this has to do with a tragic event that took place in Spain, by knowing the art biography, the viewer will acquire the knowledge of the bombing of the town Guernica in country Picasso was born in. Knowing this, the viewer can feel sympathy for this town, especially if they are able to imagine how much pain they would be in if a part of the country they were born in was bombed. The second method that can be applied is the method semiotics. Take the women holding a torch while leaning outside of a window, this is a powerful symbol. The light coming from the torch the women is holding represents enlightenment in Spanish culture, similarly to the meaning behind the statue of liberty in Western culture.i Those who are a part of Western and Spanish culture are more likely to recognize this symbol and understand the meaning of it, making it easier for them to understand the painting.