During the time I was a student at Queens tech high school, my time in Spanish history was worthwhile. Learning about the pure and rich history of the Spanish has left an impact on me. I learned a lot of things about Spanish culture, language, history and art. Among the millions of artists out there, the Spanish artist, Picasso is met with applause, honor and respect. He has created priceless pieces of art during his lifetime. These pieces now fetch millions and some priceless. One such piece is ‘Guernica’. I decided to take the opportunity my professor has given me to explore this painting and its history.  This unique piece of art brought awareness and change during tragic times. That time being the Spanish civil war

(SWR). During the Spanish civil war Picasso was commissioned by the Spanish civil army (SCA) to create a painting in order to bring awareness and funding for the SCW. The republicans who were anarchists, socialists, communists and others with differing goals united to fight against the nationalist’s generals who were fascists. The fascists of Spain became close allies with the Nazi regime in Germany. A town called Guernica located in the east of Spain was heavily supporting the Republican army. The nationalists wanted to punish these people which is when Hitler asked to test his weaponry on this town in the name of war. The nationalists agreed and Hitler proceeded with his antics. He commanded the Condor Legion, his most powerful military air force unit to test their upcoming and experimental bombs on this town. The merciless bombing continued for approximately 3 hours. There was no mercy for children, women or the disabled. Generations of people wiped off the face of the earth in the name of war and ideology. According to some historians 1,634 victims were identified. One of the victims’ significant other, traveled across Spain to find Picasso and make Guernica the subject of his painting hence the name ‘Guernica’. Guernica Picasos greatest political statement.

When I first saw it I couldn’t make sense of what was happening or what was being portrayed. An unusual palette of color was used. Black, white and gray with hints of blue sets a depressing tone. The multiple figures including floating faces of women, half the body of horse and bull and many other figures overlapping one another make it hard to understand the purpose of the art.  Many historians, artists have tried to put meaning behind the figures in this painting, each contradicting one another. According to heimudo.org it states, “these figures in Guernica claim that the bull represents the cruelty of war, whereas the horse is another reminder of the suffering of people. Finally, to the right of the horse, there are three other women.” Personally, I agree with this interpretation as it makes the most sense to me. Although according to Picasso “this bull is a bull, and this horse is a horse… 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.” (khanacademy.org) The message I believe he is trying to convey is that no one is wrong in their interpretation. He paints in such a way that everyone is right when they have their own interpretation. He does not give prior meaning to these figures. The point of art is fewer what people put into it and more what people get out of it.