Guernica
Pablo Picasso · 1937
Oil on canvas
Quick answer
Guernica (1937) by Pablo Picasso is in Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid. Guernica is a large oil painting by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, created in 1937 as a response to the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy during the Spanish Civil War. The painting is executed entirely in black, white, and grey, and depicts scenes of suffering — a screaming horse, a dying bull, dismembered bodies, and a mother holding a dead child. It is displayed at the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid, Spain. It is widely regarded as one of the most powerful anti-war statements in Western art history. World Museum Guide explains what you're looking at and how to see it.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Picasso paint Guernica?
Picasso painted Guernica in response to the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy on 26 April 1937 during the Spanish Civil War. He had been commissioned to create a mural for the Spanish Pavilion at the Paris International Exposition. When news of the bombing reached him, he redirected his work to create an anti-war statement.
Where is Guernica located?
Guernica is displayed at the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid, Spain, in Room 206.01 on the second floor. It has been in Madrid since 1981, when it was transferred from MoMA in New York. Picasso had stipulated it should not return to Spain while Francisco Franco's dictatorship remained in power.
What do the symbols in Guernica mean?
The central screaming horse is widely interpreted as representing the people of Spain or innocent suffering. The bull (top left) has been variously interpreted as brutality, darkness, or as a portrait of Picasso himself watching the chaos. The lamp held by a figure at the top centre is sometimes seen as the eye of God or the light of truth illuminating the horror below. The dismembered soldier holding a broken sword and flower symbolises defeated but hopeful resistance.
Why is Guernica in black and white?
Picasso deliberately chose a monochromatic palette of black, white, and grey, evoking the newspaper photographs and newsreel footage through which most of the world learned about modern warfare. The absence of colour strips away any aesthetic pleasure and creates a stark, documentary quality that heightens the sense of horror.
Can you photograph Guernica?
Photography of Guernica without flash is permitted for personal use at the Museo Reina Sofía. However, the painting is protected behind glass and in a specially monitored room. Commercial reproduction of the image requires permission from the Picasso estate (Succession Picasso), as the painting remains under copyright.