GUERNICA

Pablo Picasso

Guernica 

Oil on canvas

349 x 776 cm

1937

1. Use the vocabulary you have learned in class to describe this artwork or performance in detail

The type of artwork that is seen in the picture entitled Guernica by Pablo Picasso is Cubism. The reason why it can be considered Cubism because it has the characteristics of what qualifies to be Cubism; these characteristic are a restricted palette which is black, white or brown, has its own internal logic and the fragments are drawn in multiple points of view. 

2. What process were used to create this work? What social influences might the artist be responding to and why?

The process that was used to create the picture entitled Guernica was to get a large canvas board and to use oil paint. The reason why Pablo Picasso made this artwork because it was a way to show viewers the bombings of Basque town called Guernica by German bombers. 

3. What is the relationship of this artwork to the time and society in which it was created? Describe the symbols used to express this relationship

The relationship of the work towards the time is that it can be considered anti-war like and protest art. The reason why I say this is because the painting was created by Pablo Picasso as a way to respond to the event of German bombers bombing Guernica, Spain.  The symbols that are used in this painting are incident individuals and animals suffering. 

4. Identify elements in the work that evoke a persuasive or emotional response. Be specific about what those responses are and why.

The elements that are used in this piece of artwork in general are lines, shapes and colors. When it comes to the elements that show an emotional response is the suffering. The reason for this is because you can practically see suffering in every person or animal. An example for suffering for a human is if you look closely towards the left of the picture you can see a mother holding what it seems to be a dead baby in her arms. An example for suffering for an animal is the horse towards the center of the picture looks like as if it has gotten hit by something and is about the fall to the floor and collapse. 

5. Evaluate what you perceive to be the strengths and weaknesses of the artwork. Apply discipline specific vocabulary and concepts when describing your point of view.

My perception for the strengths in the artwork entitled Guernica is that Pablo Picasso has done a great job showing the suffering of people in response to the bombings by Germans in Guernica, Spain. The only weakness that I could think of is that the suffering could have been seen more clearly if it were done with a different type of media or different theme of art, rather than using cubism.