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Those who seek to explain a picture most often go astray , said Pablo Picasso in response to the numerous attempts to analyze the hidden messages in his works. However, this does not keep us from trying to penetrate the mystery of his visual symbols. Art always provides the viewer with the opportunity to use imagination and pass the authors message through the prism of his own perception.
Meyer Schapiros interpretation of Picassos Guernica is rather logical and grounded. However, numerous arguments can be provided in order to support the opposite point of view. Detailed analysis of visual devices used by Picasso in his painting produces an impression that, instead of showing his fears, the painter has represented reality, though, passed through his artistic vision.
The painting does not represent the details of the tragedy in Guernica: we cannot see aerial bombs, elements of authentic landscape, or architecture, which seems to be an argument for the version of Shapiro. In addition, Picasso had never visited Guernica. However, it is necessary to analyze the elements of Guernicas plot in order to evaluate its authenticity.
Picassos painting represents a dead dismembered soldier who seems to have been just killed: his left hand remains numb in convulsion, while the right hand holds a fragment of a sword. In the left part of the painting, a woman mourns over her child in despair and frenzy; in the right part, a suffering figure is entrapped with fire. In the center of Guernicas composition, a wounded horse is falling struck down. These characters are rather typical for depicting warfare. However, the rest of the characters and material elements strengthen an impression that the picture shows reality. Guernica reproduces the whole political situation in war-time Europe. A huge eye-shaped lamp symbolizes the all-seeing eye of totalitarism which threw its shadow throughout Europe. Picasso also makes a sorrowful remark that, despite its cruelty, the inhuman regime will find its followers and admirers: the face of a woman in the right part of the painting is full of delight and devotion. Her sight is directed above all the suffering figures, to the light of the lamp. This character is a personification of people who are blinded by the regime and feel no compassion, having lost their personal ideas and values. Nevertheless, Picasso leaves a place for hope: a woman entering the room through the window holds a candle, which becomes an alternative light source, and, correspondingly, symbolizes fresh, independent ideas, able to liberate the conquered world.
The picture of Europe during the war period seems rather detailed and authentic. However, besides the elements of the plot, the arguments for the realistic version can be found while analyzing visual devices used by the painter. The monochrome palette of Guernica is often considered a means to reflect the horror and suffering. At the same time, different perception of the paintings color is possible: on the one hand, the painting reproduces the nighttime. We can see it when looking at the sky in the window. This impression is also maintained by the nature of illumination in the room. Rays of light from different sources intersect and divide the space into geometric figures. The faces and bodies of characters look pale and brightened up, as if under the moonlight. Probably, the nighttime in the picture symbolizes a dark time of bondage and repression in society.
On the other hand, a monochrome palette of the painting reminds me of a photo in the newspaper. It looks as if the painter has caught a moment of tragedy in Guernica, which also makes one think about the realistic version. The texture of the painting also contributed to this result: the spots of different densities, covered with stains of paint, create the effect of a printed picture. Picasso used the fresco technique for Guernica, which provided such outstanding results.
Lines and shapes are also significant visual devices in Guernica. Picasso depicts stylized, schematic figures; the bodies and their parts have irregular shapes. The painter deforms them in order to exaggerate the direction of their movements: the necks are thin and stretched; the fingers are spread wide apart unnaturally. The parts of figures and elements are not separated clearly: sometimes they coincide in color or shape and form independent color spots. This reproduces the atmosphere of medley and embarrassment while the Guernica tragedy.
Picasso does not provide any perspective in the painting: the composition of Guernica reminds of a panorama, where all the elements are lined up. This gives birth to an impression that all the human misery and suffering is exhibited for show. The composition of Guernica also implies that not a single element can be hidden from the all-seeing eye.
At the same time, the painting does not look like an authentic depiction of the event in Guernica. Neither broken and irregular lines nor the absence of volume in the figures makes a viewer think that the authors intent was to provide a realistic and lifelike picture. Picasso uses volume as a device for reflecting reality through his vision: the laws of depicting volume are neglected in Guernica, the bodies and the objects are absolutely flat. Deformed, flattened silhouettes help a viewer to see the Guernica tragedy by the eyes of the painter.
Thus, we see that numerous arguments make the viewer think that Picasso showed the tragic and frightening reality of constrained, suffering Europe in the bondage of inhumane regimes and warfare. Despite he does not make the picture lifelike, he provides a detailed depiction of the real situation of that period and uses elements of visual arts to express his ideas, expectations, and attitude to the events that surrounded him and the whole community. As Shapiro said, Picasso did not show how those other Spaniards had died ; however, their suffering and despair can be distinctly felt while looking at Picassos outstanding work.
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