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| photo of the Guernica at MOMA New York in 1955 |
Musée Picasso in Paris is one of the many museums around the world that houses the works of Pablo Picasso. The museum in Paris is located in rue de Thorigny, in the Marais district. Picasso's work are housed at the 15th century
mansion, Hôtel Salé, built for a rich tax farmer, designed and sculptured by artists who were also commissioned by King Louis IV for some works at Versaille. Apparently, the hotel is one of the or the finest in the Marais district. This is the third Picasso museum we had visited during our Europe tour in 2018. The two were in Spain, the birthplace of Picasso.
Picasso migrated to Paris in 1905 and had an enormous collections of his works by the time of his death in 1973. Fulfilling Picasso's wish, all his works were donated to the state including his collections of works by other artists. The donation was permitted as in lieu of inheritance tax. The museum displayed not only the finished works such as paintings, sculptures and ceramics but also his notebooks, drawings, sketches, photographs, letters, manuscripts, article and more.
We visited Musée Picasso on our first day in Paris from its opening at 10 am. We arrived at Orly airport early in the morning from Barcelona by Iberia airlines. At the airport, we purchased 48 hours museum pass and took a Uber to take us to Prince Albert hotel near the Louvre Museum. We visited Louvre in the afternoon from 3pm. Two to three hours at the Picasso museum is sufficient. Video and photography is allowed. I let my hubby do the photography. We were not able to take video, I wanted to focus admiring the works of Picasso.
One painting Picasso is known for is the Guernica. The original painting is in the Reina Museum, Madrid Spain. Photography and Video is strictly not allowed. A copy of the painting and sketches are displayed in the Musée Picasso in Paris. What was the Guernica all about and what made it so special?
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| Picasso's Guernica at the Musée Picasso in Paris, France |
During the Spanish civil war where the Spain's Republican government was being attacked by the Nationalist army led by General Franco with the help of the Fascist Italy and the Nazi Germany, Picasso was requested by the Spanish Embassy in Paris to contribute a large mural at the Spanish Pavilion for the annual Paris World fair with the expo them to celebrate modern technology. Picasso was not keen to politically interfere as he had been living in France for 30 years then. Notwithstanding, his fellow countrymen were hopeful in support for the Republican. Until the tragic day came. on 26 April 1937, when the quiet small Basque town of Guernica was suddenly bombed in an aerial attack. It was believed the Nazi's took advantage of the Civil war such provided as training ground for the warfare. Guernica town was an important part of the Basque history. It was once the seat of the ancient parliamentary. The bomb attack reduces the town to rubble and resulted to the death of about 1,600 civilians. These horrible news dominated the radios and newspapers' front pages all over the world. We could imagine Picasso's anger as he felt obliged to just do nothing. His reaction was this large monumental painting, denouncement of the recent bombing was apparent. On the 1st of May 1937, five days after the bombing, he started sketching for the mural. After almost a thousand of sketches, the mural was in time for the Paris World's fair held on 27 April 1937. The painting was titled Guernica and was the center of the attraction during the event. Few of the sketches were available for viewing in the museum. They could be the originals donated by his heirs.
The chaotic situation in the painting, Guernica, featured different characters such as the bull, horse, dead soldiers and weeping women with one carrying her dead child. Picasso's position was clearly expressed, believed the justice was on the Republican side. During the occupation of the Nazi's troops in France, he was reported by another painter, suspected of Jewish origin. Picasso denied but bravely added he would like to have. More so, a Nazi ambassador approached Picasso and asked for the confirmation if he did this, pointing to the Guernica painting. Picasso said "No. You did "
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| Sketch 21, Mother and Dead Child on Ladder 10 May 1937 |
Picasso originally wanted to express the violence in the painting through the explosion of colours. The final one in somber pallette.
The painting, Guernica, is an abstract art open for interpretation. Picasso himself never revealed what he wanted to express out of the mular. It was clearly though, the painting was inspired by the Spanish civil war and the bombing of the Basque town. The painting shows a chaotic scene with characters appears to be lifeless and others were in pain and agony struggling for their safety. In the middle was a horse neighing in pain. Does the horse symbolise the Spanish Republican government? A calm bull on the left. Does the bull represents the fascist?
After the World's fair on 1st of November 1937, Guernica was returned to Picasso's studio. It was then displayed to different cities in Europe to raise funds for the Spanish refugees. In May 1939, Guernica arrived in America to stay for a few months. It lasted forty two years though. A final instruction from Picasso, Guernica would only be returned to Madrid once the city is liberalised. Picasso died in 1973. Franco died in 1975. Guernica finally home in 1981.
Our visit to Paris was part of the 2018 Europe tour.
continued from Experience Barcelona in a day or two 16~18 May 2018
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