The Symbolism Of The Guernica By Pablo Picasso

For centuries, art has played a crucial role in exemplifying the cultures, values, and thoughts of millions of people. Humans have used art to express their emotions and beliefs that have transcended time as their art continues to inspire people in society today. Using art assisted people in bringing the inner world into the outer world of concrete reality. Pablo Picasso, a prominent Spanish artist, used these techniques to create artworks influenced by his life and surroundings. His works greatly impacted future generations and has made him one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. One of his most famous works is the Guernica, in which portrayed the bombing of Guernica by the Italian and German air forces during the Spanish …show more content…
Even though there have been debates about the symbolism of the painting, Picasso simply said “In the panel on which I am working, which I call Guernica, I clearly express my abhorrence of the military caste which has sunk Spain into an ocean of pain and death.” He wanted to appeal to people about the massacre of his people. On the left, the bull, depicted with a dark body and a white head, stares at its surroundings as the drama unfolds. The bull is the only character in the artwork that appears to be calm and dispassionate. Many scholars have analyzed that the bull may symbolize the Spanish dictator Franco, the main culprit behind the attack since Picasso has stated that the bull represented “brutality and darkness” (Piecing Together Guernica). As one progresses more towards the right of Guernica, there is a wounded horse. In spite of the horse looking as if it is screaming in pain, the horse still remains defiant and hopeful as a plant sprouts between the legs. Later in the years, the horse became a symbol of man’s companion in war since the horse showed its hopefulness even if it was dying. Scholars have also viewed the horse as the symbol of the Republican soldiers who fought to protect the republican government (Picasso, Guernica). On the bottom left-hand corner, there is a mother weeping over her dead child. Her head is facing the sky in an anguished cry and her eyes are shaped as tears. The …show more content…
When asked about the overall symbolism of the painting, he replied “If you give a meaning to certain things in my paintings it may be very true, but it is not my idea to give this meaning. What ideas and conclusions you have got I obtained too, but instinctively, unconsciously. I make the painting for the painting. I paint the objects for what they are.” (Guernica Meaning: Analysis & Interpretation of Painting by Pablo Picasso). Despite the ambiguities of the symbolisms, the main idea of the painting is clearly visible: war exemplifies the darkness of humanity. The painting had become a symbol of peace used by thousands of people during the war in Spain to promote the concept of antiwar ideals (Picasso, Guernica). Guernica is a timeless piece that show the devastation of human conflict and the effects it can leave, becoming an essential work of art that will continue to inspire people for the years to