Spain: Art of My Choice
This is Guenica by Pablo Picasso. This vast painting that seems sucked of color and hope. The bleak image depicts multiple figures such as women in distress, a chaotic horse, and a bull. What each means has been debated but I especially wanted to focus on the woman in the left hand corner. She almost seems to be referencing the typical pose of Mary holding the christ child, but instead her baby is dead. Her head is tilted back in a wail of mourning and through this comparison, the viewer feels a sense of shock and wrongness. To me this represents that something deeply wrong was happening in Spain that was going against the typical narrative. Instead of a happy baby we see a dead one. Instead of a prospering Spain, they are being crushed and conquered by Franco. Her sadness also represents the loss that all were experiencing in Spain at the time.
This piece was part of an exposition that aimed to help get the second republic the support they needed to fight off Franco and his forces. This was at a time when support could have tipped the balance. The sad part about this is that America and the European countries wanted to stay out of it all. At the time Russia was backing the second republic and Nazi Germany was supporting Franco, and even though it seemed like the right idea to help Spain, no one wanted to help a side backed by communists. So it remained “Spain's problem.” It would be so interesting to see how history would’ve played out if our decision had been different. Although this heart wrenching piece didn’t have the intended effect, It still instills in us a sense of the horrors that happened because of Franco.
This piece contributes to the fact that Madrid is a cultural capital, because it is an emotional, artistic expression of Spain's history. Interestingly enough, I have heard that Picasso did not want this piece in Spain until there was an end to the dictatorship. It only fairly recently returned to Spain. Now it acts as a great reminder and is closely tied to the people of Spain. A well documented history is part of any culture and so by having this here in Madrid, it allows people to come in and learn and even feel something. It is educational and emotional and that is how I feel that it contributes.
Great post Anna! You describe the importance of this painting so well! It definitely helps Madrid's status as a cultural capital because of the history behind it and what it represents. It is a great reminder to the people here like you said, and it's important that it is in a place like the Prado so more people can see it and learn from it!
ReplyDeleteI loved reading your post Anna! Your insights really show how important this painting is to Spain's history and the political background of it. I thought it was super inspiring to hear how Picasso did not want this piece in Spain until there was an end to the dictatorship. There is so much emotion into this painting because of its depiction of the destroyed city of Guernica. It draws so many people and shows the history of Spain.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that Guernica's emotional and educational value provides a significant contribution to Madrid's status as a cultural capital. There is something so powerful and horrifying about the piece, and it represents the difficult history Spain has faced. I think there is something so culturally important about addressing history, and making effort to understand it.
ReplyDeleteAnna! Great post! I also loved Guernica and was really glad we all got to see it in person.
ReplyDeleteIn your post you explain that Guernica is important to Madrid as a cultural capital because it helps to record Spanish history, because it is education, and because it is emotional. I think there is a lot to that. It is my impression that Guernica adds value to Madrid as a cultural capital because it is famous and prominent, yes, but also because it is very emotionally provocative and provokes change in the people who see it.
Great post, Anna! It seems to me that Guernica enhances Madrid's status as a cultural capital not only because of its fame and prominence but also because it deeply moves and inspires those who view it, prompting change. You explain that Guernica holds significant importance for Madrid as a cultural capital due to its role in documenting Spanish history and its emotional impact. I do think there is something quite striking with this piece and about what Spain faced.
ReplyDeleteAnna, your detail is amazing. This post talks about how this artwork is directly tied to the history of Spain and deserves to be seen in Madrid. It adds to its status as a cultural capital by the emotional weight it holds. Something so unique to Spain is available for the public to experience. Cultural capitals often include a piece of art that is their prized possession, and you found it.
ReplyDeleteAnna, I loved this post so much. You highlight so much of the emotion that Guernica brings out in the viewer. I like how you focused on the woman in the corner and the terrible pain she must have been feeling. This piece by Picasso is one of the most famous pieces of art in the world and most definitely draws people from all over to the Reina Sofia making Madrid one of the great cultural capitals of the world.
ReplyDeleteLove it! this painting totally contributes to this cities status as a cultural capital because of the meaning behind the painting. This painting was painted in response to the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. It is a symbol of the cities historical and political significance. The fact that an infamous artist painted it shows how legitimate of a country Spain is.
ReplyDeleteI loved how you discussed the Guernica—your writing gives a powerful perspective to the art. You did a wonderful job discussing how this particular monument contributed to the cultural capital of Madrid. The city of Madrid is well known for this piece, and your focus on the Biblical allusions happening throughout the piece comments on the religious and historical impact that this piece made on the city.
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