Picassos Guernica and Beckmanns Departure Art in the 19th Century Politics - Term Paper Example

? Picasso’s Guernica and Beckmann’s Departure – Art in the 19th Century Politics (YOUR (THE Art in the 19th century had observed a series of changes and movements significant in catering new types of visual representation before a modern audience. At the turn of the mentioned century, the world had experienced two significant World Wars which inevitably led to noticeable influences in visual arts – in paintings to be exact. From two of the most famous movements during the 19th century, namely Cubism and Expressionism, artists such as Pablo Picasso and Max Beckmann had showcased the core essence of visual arts in the Modern Age. With such context laid down, this paper will focus on the Spanish Cubist painter Pablo Picasso and his famous work, Guernica (1937) and the German Expressionist painter Max Beckmann and his work, Departure (1932-1933). This essay will then argue that Picasso’s Guernica and Beckmann’s Departure showcase innovative feats in their respective styles and form and present significant struggle against Fascism prevalent during that period. The entirety of this paper will tackle the analysis of historical content of both artworks. It will discuss how each piece symbolizes their respective campaigns against the Fascist regimes in Europe at that specific period. The 19th century was a moment in history when different ideologies emerged and Europe. These ideologies were used for propaganda and for an imposition of power amongst the weaker nation-states. In the time of Pablo Picasso, his homeland Spain was subjugated under civil disputes between the Revolutionary forces of the newly established government and the Fascist group led by General Franco.1 This civil struggle in Spain was an important factor which contributed to the theme that was used by Picasso in Guernica. With the civil revolution at its height in Spain, intellectuals, government officials and some of his co-artists and colleagues marched to before his house in Paris in order to seek his sympathy by a means of creating a mural.2 As what can be depicted from this piece of information, Picasso at the period of the Guernica was already an influential artistic figure. The Spanish people believed that his artistic capabilities can, indeed, influence the Spanish people to advocate peace between the warring groups. However, Picasso’s sentiments were with the newly established Republic; his vision was to avoid any means of political art whatsoever.3 This seemed an unprecedented reaction from the artist. However, his views towards the political theme of the mural requested from him would come into fruition after a very devastating event that had swept his former convictions away. On April 27,1937, Guernica, a small Basque village in northern Spain, was unjustifiably bombed by the heavy war machines of Adolf Hitler. The Third Reich’s reason was defiantly for mere bombing practices only. This type of violent exercise caused Guernica to burn for three straight days and a huge loss of 600 civilians.4 The atrocities caused by the Fascist Germany had immediately reached Paris and Picasso’s residence. The massacre created huge demonstrations upon the streets of Paris.5 This particular event moved the artist and compelled him to do the mural. His inspiration was plain and simple- Guernica. The historical sketch about testify to what Picasso’s Guernica is. The painting is highly political because it sends a definite message to its audience. The content of Guernica presents many symbolisms that cater to the historical background of what was happening in Spain at that time. In the painting, the key figures which relate the war-related disaster happening in Spain were the woman with outstretched arms, the agonized horse and the bull.6 These mentioned figures are classic and universal representations and themes in art which simply symbolize Spain.7 The resentment and the suffering attributed to these images as what is etched upon Picasso’s mural clearly present a horrifying stage in Spanish affairs. It explicitly shows the audience that Spain is not at peace and the atrocities of war is tearing the nation apart. The size of the mural, 11 feet 6 inches high and 25 feet 8 inches wide,8 is a fine reflection for the reality of was had happened in Guernica. The huge size further amplifies the feeling of terror that the locals of that particular Spanish village had experienced. The style of Picasso strengthens the dark theme of the mural. He used figures and forms in the painting that are chopped-up and fragmentary.9 Such advocates a tone of violence upon the key players in Picasso’s mural. Also, there is an absence in color in Guernica. Black and white is the primary tone used by Picasso in order to express the message of his work.10 A feeling of mayhem and death clouds the monochromatic image of the mural. With these, Picasso successfully captured the aftermath of the Guernica massacre. Through the images, the symbolisms and the style he had used, the destruction of war is transposed upon Picasso’s mural. Guernica is a painting that combats the terror of the Fascist powers that took hold of Spain. It shows a clear opposition to the consequences of the dictatorial powers of Franco and, of course, Hitler who are Fascist leaders. As Picasso’s Guernica presents a message against war atrocities and against Fascist domination, the same can be said about Beckmann’s Departure. The creation of this art piece is not directly connected to a particular historical event, unlike what was presented in Picasso’s Guernica. Yet, Beckmann’s Departure was nonetheless dedicated to the atrocities of World War II and the violence created by the Third Reich. As what is documented, the creation of Departure occurred during 1932 to 1933. It was at that time that Germany was at its road to a Fascist regime. By 1933, Adolf Hitler had become the Chancellor of Germany. Hence, the year of the 1930s became the prime period where Hitler strengthened the Communist Party of Germany and began the establishment of the Nazi Party.11 It can be seen that the Departure had already been created simultaneous with the rise of Nazi Germany. Therefore, Beckmann’s work can be seen as an anticipation of what war would bring in Europe, rather than a reactionary piece against a particular event. The artist was truly accurate in his assumptions concerning the repercussion of a dominant Fascist nation. The Departure is an oil canvass painting consisting of three panels, the central panel measuring 84 ? inches by 45 3/8 inches and each of the side panels 84 ? inches by 39 ? inches. This unique artwork had representations and images that harboured a feeling of terror and dismay. The left panel of the painting holds images of a woman tied to an inverted dead body against the shade of a gloomy lamp light. The woman’s face depicts a grim expression. At the background, there is a man holding a gigantic fish and before the woman, a drummer.12 These weird and unexplainable images construct an eerie atmosphere. It creates a dark and mischievous tone which explains the artist’s objectives. This particular portion of the three-panel painting relives the horrific events in Nazi concentration camps.13 It recreates the scene where corpses were present after the gory torture of the Nazi soldiers. The right panel of the painting is even more graphic than what was presented above. In this portion, the central figure is tied to a pillar with his hands cut-off. Blood gushes out of the severed part. Those surrounding the central figure have hidden facial expressions. However, the artist painted the figures in positions depicting immense pain and dread as they await their turn in the torture cell.14 Indeed, Beckmann had foreseen and assumed correctly when it came to the atrocities of created by the rise of Nazi Germany. The images presented in both panels tell a story of gore, dark mischief and intense suffering – like that which actually happened during the reign of the Third Reich in the years after the 1930s. The central panel of Beckmann’s Departure is the most controversial portion of the entire piece. It escapes the gore of torture and the dark tone of suffering that was prevalent in both panels mentioned earlier. The central panel, although eerie in general, is more serene as compared to the others. It has three figures with the central figure in the embodiment of a woman carrying a child. According to Beckmann, the woman and the child represent the notion of freedom and the very essence of departure.15 He uses freedom as a tool of redemption from the sufferings created under the context of war during his time. He wishes to relay a message of departure from the harsh life that was ever present in the Nazi dominated states and an acceptance of a new life somewhere far from the destructive clutches of war. Indeed, Beckmann, in his own way, had presented repulsion against the Fascist Germany. He rejects the atrocities of war and shows the disturbing images of what Europe encounter would at the dawn of the Third Reich. From the historical context and the accompanying artworks by Picasso and Beckmann, both artists managed to show how they clearly opposed the rise of Fascism in Europe at their time. Picasso showed this through Guernica as a reactionary movement to the massacre at Guernica, Spain and the continuing civil unrest crated by Fascist Franco. Beckmann, on the other hand, presented his Departure as an anticipatory art piece that would enlighten his audience concerning the rise of Nazi Germany during the 1930s. His work, as what had been proven above, was accurate in every matter. The atrocities of war and the realities of torture created by the Nazis were clearly shown in Departure. Both Guernica and Departure advocate and relay a single message unto their audiences – redemption and salvation from one’s current state. By putting this in context, both works emphasize redemption and salvation from the devastation and destruction created by political dictators and Fascist powers during their time. Bibliography Beevor, Anthony. The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2006. Cohen, David. “What's so controversial about Picasso's Guernica?” Slate.com. Last modified February 6, 2003. http://www.slate.com/id/2078242/. De Menses, Filipe Ribeiro. Franco and the Spanish Civil War. London: Routledge, 2001. Evan, Richard. The Coming of the Third Reich. New York: Penguin Books, 2003. “Guernica: Testimony of War”, PBS.org, accessed March 7, 2011, http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/guernica/gmain.html. Labedzki, Annette. “His Most Famous Triptych (Departure) - Max Beckmann.” EZinArticles.com. Last modified 2001. http://ezinearticles.com/?His-Most-Famous-Triptych-%28Departure%29---Max-Beckmann&id=2646757. Read More