The 1937 Painting: Guernica By Pablo Picasso

Art throughout history has always helped facilitate and distribute thoughts and ideas on current events, especially on war. The 1937 painting, “Guernica”, was a large mural painted by Picasso, a well-known artist during this time. The painting’s depiction of bodies and animals screaming and writhing in agony is thought to be a visual message responding to the destruction and bombing of a village located in Guernica, Spain, which happened around the time the painting was released. Furthermore, the widespread attention that Picasso received for this work helped bring attention to the Spanish Civil War. The use of black and white emphasizes the harshness of the scene and the sharp lines and disjointed limbs suggest pain and terror. The hellish depiction of what war brings has made it a powerful, universal, and emotional antiwar icon. The artwork’s use of color, shapes, size and symbolism help appeal to the audience’s pathos and ethos and asserts that war brings death and pain to the lives of the citizens involved. …show more content…
“Guernica” had advantages to help circulate it, and makes good use of Kairos because the painting was completed only two months after Spain was bombed. The artwork had no trouble reaching a wide audience because it had a geographical advantage due to the fact that Picasso was already a successful artist. Furthermore, it went on a world tour shortly after it was finished, making it accessible for many people. “Guernica” fits into the genre of narrative art because the purpose of the mural is to tell a story. It has a universal appeal the artwork can be applied to different events in history that caused mass destruction and