Political Opinion Of Pablo Picasso And The Relationship With The Government Of Spain

Political opinion of Pablo Picasso and the relationship with the Government of Spain

Introduction

This research aims to analyze how Pablo Picasso, painter and Spanish sculptor of the twentieth century;His political position through his work. Likewise, the relationship maintained with the Franco regime and the consequences of his painting, Guernica [Footnoteref: 1], painted after the bombing of the Basque city, Gernika will be assessed. Therefore, the investigation question would be: to what extent did Pablo Picasso’s political opinion affect his work and his relationship with the Government of Spain during the Franco regime? 

I will start from Picasso’s work in general by looking at Guernica as the most international picture of the author.

This work is based on two main sources among others that help research. Fountain I, is a book written by Josep Palau I Fabre that collects works by the artist. It was published after the death of Picasso, in 1981. This is a compilation of works carried out during all stages, based mainly on his painting. In this way we can analyze the message that he wanted to convey in many of his works and if he had a political background. Fuente II is The Times article in which Picasso was inspired to paint his Guernica painting. It was written by a South African reporter installed in the United Kingdom, George Steer. It was published in the British newspaper two days after the bombing. Picasso made his subjective interpretation of the article and expressed it in the Guernica mural.

• Source I: Picasso. Josep Palau I Fabre (1981).

This secondary source has value in its origin that is very successful for research since it collects works from all times of the painter’s activity, including the creation of Guernica. As the book was published in Spain it is assumed that the author could have achieved more information from Picasso’s work, since most of the artist’s works are exposed in that country. The content is a value in this source since we find a great selection of creations of the artist, in addition, Palau I Fabre comments on the most important aspects of the works in relation to the historical context of these. The limitation in the content is that the author only reviews Picasso’s painting and does not practically take into account the artist’s sculpture, however, it has no great relevance since the bulk of his work consists of paintings. The purpose of the book is a value since it includes the most important works of Picasso, it is also completely objective. We can find a limitation that it does not mention Picasso’s personal life, so the stage changes are only embodied at an artistic level and not at the biographical level.

• Source II: ‘The Tragedy of Guernica. Town Destroyed in Air Attack. Eye-Witness Account ’, George Steer (1937).

This primary source finds its greatest value at the origin, since it is related by a journalist who lived Gernika’s bombing in the first person. In addition, not being a man of Spanish nationality we believe is an objective article since we assume that the correspondent was not influenced by Spanish political ideals. The content is a value because it narrates the event explicitly, in turn it is a limitation because it does not take into account the consequences of the bombing, such as the large number of victims or the destruction of 70% of the city’s buildings, since it was publishedAt the time of the event. The purpose of this article was none other than to inform society, especially abroad than had happened in the Basque city. In this investigation, the purpose can be considered a value, since Picasso was based on said article to paint Guernica. Although it was not the purpose of the article, it ended up inspiring Picasso and the picture had an international impact both in the world of art and politics.

Developing

Pablo Picasso was born on October 25, 1881 in Spain and died on April 8, 1973 in France. He belonged to the Communist Party of Spain and the French Communist Party.

Created many political works. An example can be a dream and lie of Franco (1937)

“How to even imagine that I can agree for an instant with the reaction and death, against people and freedom? At the beginning of the rebellion I was appointed by the only legitimate government of Spain, director of the Prado Museum, since I immediately accepted. Here you have what I am doing for the Spanish Pavilion of the exhibition. And here the first tests of Franco’s "dream and lie". In them my opinion is clearly expressed about the military caste that has sunk Spain in pain and death!"

Pablo Picasso, Spanish current facets, July 1937

Another of his representative works by the transmitted ideology is Matanza in Korea (1951), this work became the symbol of the French Communist Party that Picasso was affiliated since the mid -40s and until 1952.

"I wanted to find a homeland again. I have always been an exile, but now I am not;Until Spain can finally welcome me, the French Communist Party has opened its arms (…) "

The Picasso Museum in Barcelona was inaugurated in 1936, the Irish newspaper The Irish Times covered this fact as "the first gesture of Franco’s Spain in recognition of the teacher", 

It can be said that Picasso was also shown by his part, skeptical with the Spanish State, for example, he did not allow women in Azul (1901) to be exposed until 1964, thus being his first picture present in Spanish collections.

There are various opinions about Picasso’s political ideology, on the one hand, as we have seen before, it is claimed that he was a republican and created works against the Franco regime. However, there are historians like John Richardson who describe the artist as an apolitic young man until the thirties.

In addition, José María Juarranz de la Fount.

On the other hand, Vicenç Navarro argues that "describing Picasso as apolitic and lacking commitment is a meanness and an offense to his memory […]"

He was a great defender of La Paz, disagreeing with the acts of violence. He made a sign of the World Congress for Peace (1949) in which he painted the famous Blanca Paloma, after World War II.

Picasso was commissioned. Picasso was inspired by the bombing of the Basque city of Gernika that occurred on April 26, 1937, was razed by order of General Franco. The German Condor Legion and the Italian Legionary Aviation intervened. This attack caused between 120 and 300 deaths, very approximate amount since the total debris did not finish collecting until 1941.

He ended up creating a mural that showed the horrors of the bombing of the Basque city. Guernica (1937), at the most recognized work of the painter, according to a large number of artists. With the painting he tried to denounce the war and the enemies of the Republic. It was the cause of a political stir since Picasso declared that he would only allow Guernica to enter Spain when there was a democratic regime. Even Admiral Carrero Blanco was involved in this process.

Since the end of the civil war, the painting had become an instrument of fighting in favor of the Republican exiles.

With reference to source I, Josep Palau I Fabre states in his book Picasso that Guernica is a mixture of all the previous stages of the painter united recreating the horror of the war. He also comments that the consequences of this painting will last until 1939, and will be linked to World War II (1939-1945), where he begins to draw human figures uncaves.

Another consequences of the work was its repercussion at international level, Alfred H. Bar Jr., MOMA director states that "he had knowledge of Picasso’s great painting thanks to a Guernica postcard who sent him from Paris in September 1937". 

Guernica arrived in Spain in 1981 after having remained at MoMA while the Franco regime existed.

According to Aitor Aurrekoetxea, for the Spanish transition the picture meant "the reconciliation between the two Spain". We must bear in mind that Juan Carlos I, Calvo Sotelo and Dolores Ibárruri were present at the presentation of the painting, in this way, peace between the two sides of the Spanish Civil War.

International Guernica has also been present. In 1967 Rudolf Baranik developed a propaganda poster to stop the war in Vietnam (1955-1975), a characteristic figure of Picasso’s work is observed, on top of it, a label that says: “Parado the war in Vietnam now!"

Another more current example was in 2003 when a similar poster appeared, protesting against the Iraq war (2003-2011) in it other figures of Guernica appear representing the barbaries of the wars.

After the investigation, we have observed that Picasso maintained a scarce relationship with the Spanish State during the Francoist era. He reached the point of exile to France and be part of the French Republican Party. He positioned himself against the enemies of the Republic, even used Guernica to raise funds to help Spanish exiles after the civil war. Many of his values were reflected in his work and through Guernica he achieved an impact worldwide. 

conclusion

For my research I have followed the evaluation method of various sources such as articles and books that provide information about Picasso. To correctly perform this method, the objectivity of the sources must be taken into account. The realization of this study is a compilation of views of others, so it is necessary to be objective and have the ability to compare and contrast the information obtained. It is appropriate to use statements made by Picasso and, on the other hand, mention historians to comment on the artist’s work, in this way we have obtained different points of view. The story, being a science that evolves over time, must be studied with a possibility of change and, for this reason in the statements made by historians can find diverse opinions. The great challenge of the historian when he conducts a historical study based on archiving material is the ability to have a critical point of view. The main difficulty I have found at work is to compare the information from various sources and achieve a truthful and objective conclusion. In turn, it has not been difficult for me to find files from other places in the world, such as propaganda posters or Alfred H’s opinion. Bar JR, director of MoMa. The vocabulary used in the investigation must also be taken into account, there are words that make objectivity to the study, they are usually very carried out to the extreme, it is not convenient to speak of correct or incorrect but to mention opinions and allow the reader to value according to their criteria. In the same way, it is necessary to avoid the use of own opinion. I think that the critical spirit and objectivity are the main qualities for a historian, that is the most accounting difference regarding the study of other sciences, such as mathematics, since these are an exact science.

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