Notes on Picasso's Still Life and Guernica

Still Life with Chair Caning

  • Picasso uses the letters "j o u," found on a piece of paper, as a deliberate indicator that the artwork is set in Paris.

  • "jou" is part of the French word "jouer", signifying "to play," reflecting Picasso's playful manipulation of space within the artwork.

  • The letters "j o u" become detached and independent, no longer tied to their original context on printed matter.

  • This relates to the deconstruction depicted in the artwork, exemplified by the fragmented representation of a pipe. Picasso is challenging the Renaissance idea of depicting objects from a singular, fixed point in time and space.

  • Traditional Renaissance paintings presented a single vantage point at one moment, a standard Picasso subverts.

  • Picasso's approach is revolutionary, questioning not only artistic conventions but also human perception.

  • He challenges the notion that experiences must be confined to one place and time.

  • Humans perceive the world through time and space, making the Renaissance idea a constructed reality, not an accurate reflection of experience.

Guernica

  • Picasso initially was unsure of what to paint for the Spanish Republic.

  • On May 1, he learned of the events in Guernica, a Basque city, bombed on April 26, 1937, by Nazi Germany and Mussolini's fascist forces, with Franco's collaboration. The bombing resulted in approximately 1,654 civilian deaths.

  • Inspired by this tragedy, Picasso abandoned his original subject, an artist's studio, to depict the horrors of Guernica.

  • It took him 35 days to complete the mural, during which it underwent numerous changes.

  • The mural was inspired by Picasso's 1935 "Metamorphosis", sharing the absence of color and the presence of similar elements like a bowl, horse, candle, flower, bird, and building with windows.

  • Photographer Dora Maar documented Picasso's creative process, capturing his evolving thoughts and alterations to the painting.

  • This documentation illustrates Picasso's quote: "A painting is not thought out in advance. While it is being done, it changes as one's thoughts change. And when it's finished, it goes on changing according to the state of mind of whoever is looking at it."

  • Irrespective of interpretation, the painting serves as a powerful condemnation of war and violence.

  • Picasso remained in Paris during the Nazi occupation.

  • A Gestapo officer, upon seeing a photograph of "Guernica," questioned Picasso about its creation, to which he replied, "No, you did."

  • The composition mirrors the chaos of the event itself, leaving viewers disoriented and unsure of where to focus.

  • The symbolism within “Guernica” is subject to varied interpretations.

  • Picasso said that defining the symbols is up to the painter. The public must interpret the symbols as they understand.

Symbolism in Guernica

  • The painting's monochromatic palette, using shades of gray, serves to amplify the dramatic impact of the event and mimics the style of newspaper reports through which Picasso learned about the bombing.

  • Interpretations of the bull:

    • Some view the bull as a representation of Picasso himself.

    • Others interpret it as symbolizing the Spanish people.

    • Alternatively, it may embody the brutality of the fascists.

  • The mother and dead child:

    • This is a reference to Michelangelo's Pieta, but Picasso's representation of the mother expresses her pain even more as she screams towards the sky with eyes shaped like tears.

  • The dead soldier:

    • The soldier is dismembered, holding a broken sword from which a flower grows, symbolizing hope.

    • The sword represents the role of technological advancement in warfare, particularly the disadvantage faced by the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War.

    • Some art historians interpret the soldier as a defeated bullfighter, with the bull representing the fascists.

  • The horse:

    • The horse is wounded, with a spear through its torso, and appears to be falling.

    • Within its body are hidden images: a bull's head and a sideways skull.

  • The bird:

    • The bird is possibly a dove, a universal symbol of peace.

    • It is hidden in shadows and depicted screaming.

  • The light bulb:

    • The light bulb may represent technological advancement's role in the events of Guernica, facilitating mass murder.

    • The Spanish word for bulb, "bombilla," is similar to "bomba," meaning bomb.

    • The eye-like shape suggests that either God, the artist, or the world is watching.

  • The oil lamp:

    • The ghostly woman holding the oil lamp could be the spirit of Spain, providing light.

    • It can be interpreted as a symbol of hope.

    • It may be compared to Francisco de Goya's "The Third of May 1808," where light is used to facilitate murder.

  • The injured woman:

    • The injured woman, though wounded, is limping towards the light, drawn to it, reinforcing the idea of the candle as a symbol of hope.

  • The burning woman:

    • The burning woman under a burning building echoes the position of a character in Goya's "The Third of May 1808."

  • The setting:

    • The walls, floor, table, and door suggest an indoor setting, possibly an artist's studio.

    Even without understanding the specific meanings, the painting remains powerful.

  • After the World's Fair, Picasso refused to allow the painting to return to Spain until it became a democracy.

  • It was exhibited around the world and eventually housed at MoMA.

  • Picasso died in 1973, never seeing "Guernica" in Spain.

  • Franco died in 1975.

  • Democracy was restored in 1978.

  • "Guernica" was first displayed on Spanish soil in 1981 and has remained there ever since. The composition, like the event itself, is chaotic. The viewer is left completely lost and disoriented.