PICASSOPICASSOfrom ‘Guernica’ to the endfrom ‘Guernica’ to the end

1937-19731937-1973

Portrait of Dora Maar 1937

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GuernicaGuernica1936 - 1936 - The Civil War breaks out. Picasso joins the Republicans and he is appointed director of the Prado Museum The Civil War breaks out. Picasso joins the Republicans and he is appointed director of the Prado Museum 1937 April 26 - 1937 April 26 - The town of Guernica is bombed.The town of Guernica is bombed.Picasso realises a canvas in which he condemns the Nazi German aerial bombing that destroyed Guernica and killed an Picasso realises a canvas in which he condemns the Nazi German aerial bombing that destroyed Guernica and killed an estimated 1600 people. The huge Cubist mural was commissionestimated 1600 people. The huge Cubist mural was commissioneded by the Spanish Republican government to decorate by the Spanish Republican government to decorate the Spanish Pavilion at the Paris International Expositionthe Spanish Pavilion at the Paris International Exposition

– The shapes are reduced to the essentialThe shapes are reduced to the essential– The use of colour (synonym of life) is abandoned for a dismal white /black in order to convey more The use of colour (synonym of life) is abandoned for a dismal white /black in order to convey more

impact and light to the whole impact and light to the whole – The picture is huge (8 x 3,5 metres) in order to be seen by the greatest number of people at the The picture is huge (8 x 3,5 metres) in order to be seen by the greatest number of people at the

same timesame time– It stands as an ideological and political manifestoIt stands as an ideological and political manifesto– It presents the recurrent symbols of all his works: the bull, the horse, torment and dismemberment of It presents the recurrent symbols of all his works: the bull, the horse, torment and dismemberment of

bodies bodies

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Guernica Guernica The figures are like ghosts who cry while they are lightened by the bomb explosionThe figures are like ghosts who cry while they are lightened by the bomb explosionThe composition is not chaotic as it may seem but it is organised in 3 vertical levels The composition is not chaotic as it may seem but it is organised in 3 vertical levels The mural showsThe mural shows

– Horrified men and animals united by griefHorrified men and animals united by grief– The tongues of the The tongues of the bull,bull, the grieving the grieving mother mother and theand the horse horse are daggers that suggest screaming are daggers that suggest screaming – On the ground dismembered corpsesOn the ground dismembered corpses– On the left a On the left a mothemother utters a piercing cry to the sky grieving over her dead child r utters a piercing cry to the sky grieving over her dead child – On the right aOn the right a man man cries in despair cries in despair– In the centre a In the centre a horsehorse ( symbol of the Spanish people) is falling in agony as it has just been run through by a spear. ( symbol of the Spanish people) is falling in agony as it has just been run through by a spear.

He puts out his sharp tongue like a glass dagger. His nose has the shape of a human skull. A He puts out his sharp tongue like a glass dagger. His nose has the shape of a human skull. A light bulblight bulb in the in the shape of an eye is hanging over the horse's head. shape of an eye is hanging over the horse's head.

– Under the horse is a dead, dismembered Under the horse is a dead, dismembered soldier,soldier, his hand grasps a sword from which a his hand grasps a sword from which a flower flower grows( symbol of grows( symbol of life finally triumphing over death and man’s brutality )life finally triumphing over death and man’s brutality )

– To the right of the horse, a frightened To the right of the horse, a frightened female figurefemale figure, who seems to be witnessing the scene , appears to have , who seems to be witnessing the scene , appears to have floated into the room through a window. Her arm carries a flame-lit floated into the room through a window. Her arm carries a flame-lit lamp. lamp.

– Below her, from the left, an awe-struck Below her, from the left, an awe-struck womanwoman staggers towards the centre She looks up blankly into the light bulb. staggers towards the centre She looks up blankly into the light bulb. – The wide-eyed bull (violence and bestiality) stands over the grieving womanThe wide-eyed bull (violence and bestiality) stands over the grieving woman– A A bird,bird, possibly a duck, stands on a shelf behind the bull in panic possibly a duck, stands on a shelf behind the bull in panic

Cubist and realist vision ( the bombing destroys the buildings)Cubist and realist vision ( the bombing destroys the buildings)

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War and after war yearsWar and after war years1939-1939- leaves for Antibes and then for París where he leaves for Antibes and then for París where he spends the whole war periodspends the whole war periodHe feels the importance of his political commitment He feels the importance of his political commitment and his communicative power after his growing and his communicative power after his growing popularity popularity Paints works with a social inspiration Paints works with a social inspiration 1948- 1948- joins the congress of the intellectuals for the joins the congress of the intellectuals for the peace peace 1949- 1949- realises the duck ( paloma) for the placard of realises the duck ( paloma) for the placard of peace in Paris. In the same year his daughter Paloma peace in Paris. In the same year his daughter Paloma is bornis born

Pesca notturna ad Antibes 1939

Il carnaio 1945

Massacro in Corea 1951

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Picasso d’aprèsPicasso d’après

In the 1950s his style In the 1950s his style changes as he begins changes as he begins looking at the art of the looking at the art of the great masters from whom great masters from whom he draws new inspiration.he draws new inspiration.In this phase he makes a In this phase he makes a series of works based on series of works based on the paintings of Velasquez, the paintings of Velasquez, Goya, Poussin, Manet, Goya, Poussin, Manet, Courbet, Delacroix. Courbet, Delacroix.

Gustave Courbet, Fanciulle lungo la Senna, 1856-57)

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Picasso d’aprèsPicasso d’après

Las Meninas, 1957Las Meninas, 1957

Velasquez, Las Meninas, 1656Velasquez, Las Meninas, 1656

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The height of popularityThe height of popularity

His final works are a mixture of styles, They become more colourful His final works are a mixture of styles, They become more colourful and expressive, and from 1968 through 1971 he produces a torrent of and expressive, and from 1968 through 1971 he produces a torrent of paintings and hundreds of copperplate engravings. paintings and hundreds of copperplate engravings. 1950-19701950-1970 - the final years when he acquires worldwide fame - the final years when he acquires worldwide fame1970- 1970- donates various works to the Picasso Museum of Barcelona donates various works to the Picasso Museum of Barcelona1973 1973 - dies in Mas Notre-Dame-de-Vie- dies in Mas Notre-Dame-de-Vie

Donna con braccia allargate 1961Big heads 1969