Laura Duckett
MADRID’S Reina Sofia Museum has launched a major exhibition to celebrate the 80th birthday of Picasso’s iconic painting.
The Malagueño artist’s masterpiece has become one of the most famous paintings in the world.
The canvas mixes stark images of agonising humans and animals to depict the horror of the bombing of the small Basque town of Guernica on April 26, 1937, during Spain’s civil war.
Rosario Peiro, the museum’s Head of Collections, said the piece still resonates today, with Syrians caught up in the bloody civil war using images of the painting in their protests.
Last year at the UN, French Ambassador Francois Delattre compared the destruction in the Syrian city of Aleppo to the celebrated artwork.
“Aleppo is to Syria what Guernica was to the Spanish war,” he said, “a human tragedy, a black hole destroying all we believe in.”
Guernica has no price as it is not listed, but it would be expected to fetch well above €100 million.
“…80th birthday of Picasso’s iconic madrid” ? What does that mean?
.
Its very moving to actually visit the City of Guernica. The market strafed and bomber by Hitler’s forces lies in a depression from which no one could have escaped. Now all rebuilt, but salient by contrast to the old city. Also visit what is left of the ancient oak that served for centuries as the forum around which elders met to make political decisions.
“…80th birthday of Picasso’s iconic madrid” ? What does that mean? Its very moving to see Guernica. The strafed market lies in depression, rebuilt, but salient by contrast to the old city.