Pablo Picasso
165


War Years

In 1936, a Civil war between the freshly formed republican government and the fascist regime of General Franco broke out in Spain. Picasso did all he could to support the anti-fascists: his canvas was his battlefield, and his weapons were the brush and paints.

In the beginning of 1937 the artist started his series of graphic works "The Dream and Lie of Franco." It was performed in aquatint technique and printed in postcard format; part of the proceeds gained from the postcards being sold (about 300,000 francs) was donated by the artist to support the republican government of Spain. The plot depicted therein was scenes of suffering of the Spanish people: houses on fire, weeping women, refugees and corpses, and General Franco in the midst of it all, in his most disgusting role types, and, of course, the symbol of wrath - the bull, attacking him.

In April 1937, the whole world was shocked by the news of fascists bombing Guernica, a small town in the center of the Basque Country. As a result, the major part of the city was destroyed and about 300 people were killed. Outraged by this attack, Picasso, supported by the Spanish government, created a huge black and white canvas Guernica, depicting ... Or rather, screaming about the horrors of the war. Ostentatiously simplified, distorted by horror, as though cut out from the darkness, the images moan, weep, call out. This canvas, measured 8 by 3.5 meters, painted by the artist in just two months, became the main anti-war masterpiece of the XX century. In summer, the same year, the canvas was exhibited at the World's Fair in Paris, becoming the central object and symbol of the Republican Spain pavilion.

When the Second World War broke out, Picasso settled in Paris where he continued working, creating pictures pertaining but not limited to the anti-war topic. The works of this period do not depict military actions directly, but resorting to the language of painting they convey everything that war brings over once started: pain, fear and despair.

Pablo Picasso. Guernica, 1937
Guernica, 1937
Pablo Picasso. Weeping Woman, 1937
Weeping Woman, 1937
Pablo Picasso. The suppliant, 1937
The suppliant, 1937
Pablo Picasso. Guernica [study], 1937
Guernica [study], 1937
Pablo Picasso. Portrait of Maya with her Doll, 1938
Portrait of Maya with her Doll, 1938
Pablo Picasso. The hairstyle, 1938
The hairstyle, 1938
Pablo Picasso. Wounded Bird and Cat, 1939
Wounded Bird and Cat, 1939
Pablo Picasso. Night Fishing at Antibes, 1939
Night Fishing at Antibes, 1939
Pablo Picasso. Portrait of Dora Maar, 1939
Portrait of Dora Maar, 1939
Pablo Picasso. Female bust, 1940
Female bust, 1940
Pablo Picasso. Still Life with Steers Skull, 1942
Still Life with Steers Skull, 1942
Pablo Picasso. Pitcher of flowers on a table, 1942
Pitcher of flowers on a table, 1942
Pablo Picasso. Coffee maker, 1943
Coffee maker, 1943
Pablo Picasso. Man with a Lamb, 1943 - 1944
Man with a Lamb, 1943 - 1944
Pablo Picasso. Carafe and tomato plant, 1944
Carafe and tomato plant, 1944
Pablo Picasso. According to operative Bacchanales- Triumph of Pan Chick, 1944
According to operative Bacchanales- Triumph of Pan Chick, 1944
Pablo Picasso. Still-Life, 1945
Still-Life, 1945
Pablo Picasso. The Charnel House, 1945
The Charnel House, 1945
Pablo Picasso. The Bull. State V, 1945
The Bull. State V, 1945
Pablo Picasso. Crane goat, bottle and candle, 1945
Crane goat, bottle and candle, 1945
Pablo Picasso. Leeks, and Pitcher Crane, 1945
Leeks, and Pitcher Crane, 1945


All war-period works