111 CHAP VI

CHAPTER VI

Protest and War - 1937-1946

EXAMPLES FROM 1937

On April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, German bombers, directed by General Franco, destroyed a defenseless town named Guernica during a bomb attack lasting over three hours. Incendiary bombs were also dropped and machine guns were aimed at those seeking to escape the leveling of the small town. This massacre of unprotected civilians, having no military force to defend them, was traumatic news and the world was horrified. Within the week Picasso gathered together his sources and resources and began what is considered to be one of his finest paintings--"Guernica.” In this work he has incorporated many masterworks recalling subjects in the following works of art as he began his studies for his masterpiece.

“Guernica” composition study dated May 1, 1937 (103)

A composition study (103), shows that Rembrandt's "Rape of Europa" (103A), "The Return of the Prodigal Son" (103B) and "The Resurrection of Lazarus" (103C) apparently were on Picasso's mind as he commenced his compositional studies. The figure leaning out the window is present in (103B) and (103C) contains a similar form, explaining how Picasso might have imagined that strange profile, streamlined in the final stages of "Guernica." Greuze's "The Return of the Prodigal Son" (103D) and "Entombment" (103E) from the workshop of Titian also present examples of this classic witness whose gestures imply amazement or horror at what is being seen. This initial sketch (103) is a gestural analysis of the figure relationships and the compositional design of Ingres's "Venus Wounded by Diomedes" (111A). This work played a dominant role in the development of Picasso's composition. Every line of Picasso's study has its counterpart in the contours of Ingres's painting which in turn had its origin in another of Picasso's favorites, "The Victory of Joshua" by Antonio Tempesta (108B).

“Horse,” also drawn on May 1, 1937 (104)

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