Mod 15- Art Review
Pablo Picasso, Guernica,
11’ 6” x 25’ 6”
Oil on Canvas
April 26, 1937- June 1937
This painting was meant to be a political statement about the Nazi bombings within Guernica, Spain; this occuring during the Spanish Civil War. It was catastrophic, and full of tragedy. The piece was meant to exploit war and to call for the need of peace. The faces shown are twisted around, and show terror, fear and pain in their features. There is a fallen soldier with a broken sword, a woman crying over a dead man, and animals and people running. He also uses sharp angles to emphasize the dynamics of the scene.
The work itself, outside of its meaning, is based in cubism and early surrealism. It shows objects and forms collaged together, as well it shows multiple perspectives together. Picasso uses the different blocks of varying value ranges to emphasize both foreground, and to place importance on the individuals rather than on the scene of war around them.
The painting was made within the first year of the Spanish Civil War in the reaction to Guernica. This was an area that was part of the Spanish Republic of the northern Barques; which was surrounded by Nationalist land and separated from the main Republican land in the south of Spain. It was in the middle of combat zone and was unprotected by its greater counterpart of land. Picasso puts a broken sword in the painting to symbolize the crushing effects that the bombings had on Guernica.
The faces, as mentioned earlier, are what immediately evoke emotions of pain and sadness. There is an obvious feeling of escape and fleeing, due to the shapes of the floating head and women running. The contrast also helps this idea of chaos, there is not blending of values, there is just start white, mid gray, and black. It is like Picasso is imitating chiaroscuro.
I believe this paintings strengths rely on the implied movement, made by the tapering shapes. I believe the difference in light and dark, and the angles created with the blocks also help the idea of chaos. The displacement of the eyes on every figure also creates dynamism. I believe the downfall of this piece is that it is unclear if this is multiple images of one woman rushing to a man who has just fallen and the motion of her movement; or if this is one still image of many women and men.
11’ 6” x 25’ 6”
Oil on Canvas
April 26, 1937- June 1937
This painting was meant to be a political statement about the Nazi bombings within Guernica, Spain; this occuring during the Spanish Civil War. It was catastrophic, and full of tragedy. The piece was meant to exploit war and to call for the need of peace. The faces shown are twisted around, and show terror, fear and pain in their features. There is a fallen soldier with a broken sword, a woman crying over a dead man, and animals and people running. He also uses sharp angles to emphasize the dynamics of the scene.
The work itself, outside of its meaning, is based in cubism and early surrealism. It shows objects and forms collaged together, as well it shows multiple perspectives together. Picasso uses the different blocks of varying value ranges to emphasize both foreground, and to place importance on the individuals rather than on the scene of war around them.
The painting was made within the first year of the Spanish Civil War in the reaction to Guernica. This was an area that was part of the Spanish Republic of the northern Barques; which was surrounded by Nationalist land and separated from the main Republican land in the south of Spain. It was in the middle of combat zone and was unprotected by its greater counterpart of land. Picasso puts a broken sword in the painting to symbolize the crushing effects that the bombings had on Guernica.
The faces, as mentioned earlier, are what immediately evoke emotions of pain and sadness. There is an obvious feeling of escape and fleeing, due to the shapes of the floating head and women running. The contrast also helps this idea of chaos, there is not blending of values, there is just start white, mid gray, and black. It is like Picasso is imitating chiaroscuro.
I believe this paintings strengths rely on the implied movement, made by the tapering shapes. I believe the difference in light and dark, and the angles created with the blocks also help the idea of chaos. The displacement of the eyes on every figure also creates dynamism. I believe the downfall of this piece is that it is unclear if this is multiple images of one woman rushing to a man who has just fallen and the motion of her movement; or if this is one still image of many women and men.
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