research 3

H· Here are a few more of my notes that I was unable to put up earlier and I have more to come.

• ‘A picture is not thought of and settled beforehand. While it is being done it changes as one’s thoughts change. And when it is finished it still goes on changing, according to the state of mind of whoever is looking at it. A picture lives a life like a living creature, undergoing the changes imposed on us by our life, from day to day. This is natural enough, as the picture lives only through the man who is looking at it.’ – Picasso (pg 44)
• · There is talk of Picasso’s obsession with pain in his art, through the lines and shapes of the figures, the brush strokes he uses and the colours within the image. (more information on pages 46-47)
• · Over the years Picasso sketches many images of the corrida. At first the images are taken from the position of the audience watching the fight. Later the bull will take on a more human role. During a love affair the bull morphs into a Minotaur. (pg 47-48)
• · When doing images of the horse and the bull and the picador, Picasso would usually leave out the Picador (who is the main antagonise) and the torero’s (who draw the bull away if anything goes wrong) and leave it with just the Bull and Horse, removing them from the context of the corrida. (pg50)
• · The bull is the aggressor and the horse a passive partner.
• · In his images it is a purely human erotic act. The bull charges to plunge itself into the horse which waits submissive. (pg52)
• · Though the horse may have male genitalia because of its submission to the machismo of the bull it takes the female role.
• · Blood spilt is the horses which is spilt from the stomach, some liken this to menstrual blood.
• · The fight is a battle of the sexes.
• · For years it had been a battle between the horse and the bull but in 1934 and 1935 Marie-Theres became pregnant , Olga (Wife) leaves with his son, the 2 animals , who have taken on a human form, are now joined by a blond nude in a series of sketches called ‘femme torero’
• · Here the horse is trampled into the dirt while the bull carries on unruffled with the beautiful woman across his back who has his full attention.
• · Picasso Told Juan Larrera the horse in his art represents the most important woman in his life.
• · He told Francaise her symbol is the horse and his the bull.
• · In Guernica many believed that the bull in the image represented Franco and the horse was a representation of the Spanish people, or that the bull is the Spanish peoples strength. But in images found in Paris of preliminary sketches over view this.
• · The original design for the mural was of a woman and the artist. (pg 59)
• · ‘By 1932 Picasso had become incressingly obsessed with the theme artist and model as his relationship with Marie-Therese intensified and her face and figure came to dominate all aspects of his work.’ (pg59)
• · Pg 64 writer asks audience was the original theme inappropriate because of the subject of who his model was? Was it appropriate for a pavilion that was representing a besieged home land?
• · By the early sketches it appears he was going to do a mural based on his own private life.
• · This might be wat you expect from a man who didnt want to be pushed to either side of the political devide.
• · The raised fist with a hammer/sickle is drawn over his final sketch for the first mural, a newspaper and in study of Guernica on may 9^th. ‘it would be seen again in the first two states of the final canvas, rising from the body of the fallen warrior. This it seems possible that Picasso’s use of the communist solute in his drawings of April 19^th was only a temporary reaction to the words of appeasement by Delbos, one that was not sustained in further images.’ (pg 68)
• · After April 19^th the artist and the model theme was lost. He spent the next few weeks looking for more appropriate theme.
• · 1^st May he began sketches for the Guernica but took elements from the studio, e.g action taking place within a room drawn in perspective. (pg68)
• · Here Picasso is focusing on the suffering of the Spanish people and away from his studio.
• · Chipp sasy that it was not the war itself that caught Picassos need to paint a respns but the suffering of the Spanish people.(pg68)
• · Picasso had 24 days to design and paint a 25.5 foot mural .
• · It was the stories of human suffering that spurred him on. Or so it seems as it was at this point when images of the town and the people came through.
• · First sketch shows that he doesn’t show bombing and destruction but goes back to the bull and horse. (pg 70)
• · ‘The violence of the bull-horse struggle is an excellent visual analogue of the agony of the human victims of Guernica.’ (pg70)
• · The first sketches indicate he was not drawing an event he had witnessed (e.g images) but had to find his own feelings on it.
• · Pg 72
• · A constant part of the image is the woman leaning into the scene, illuminating what is happening.
• · The outstretched hand is scene in other images and can can be used as a symble of empathy (dying Minotaur) Grace ect. (pg74)
• · Picasso does many compositions to find which is the best way to show his view of the pain and suffering . (chapter 6)
• · He spends some time away from the sketches to focus on the horses head ‘To see as Arntheim notes, whether it could serve as the sole bearer of the emotion.’ (pg 75)
• · He distorts the features and the angle of the head, with great contrast between light and dark.
• · The tongue is formed into the shape of a spear head.

research 2

There is a lot of warfare in history (there's a depressing thought), but I believe I've picked out the nost pertinent facts.

• Although they did not apply to national conflicts (civil wars), both the first and second Hague Conventions on the conduct of war prohibit combatants from acting to "destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war.", as well as "the attack or bombardment of towns, villages, habitations or buildings which are not defended, is prohibited."(1899, the Second Hague Convention)
• The Spanish civil war began in 1936, following an unsuccesful coup d'etat by General Franco against the elected government of Spain.  The combatants fell into two loose camps:  the "Nationalists", led by Franco, believed that Spain was in danger of fragmentation, as well as communist take-over; while the "Republicans" were chiefly united in their opposition of the Nationalists.
• The Nationalist forces were supported by the fascist governments of Italy and Germany, who sent soldiers and equipment to help in the fight.
• The Republicans were chiefly supported by the Soviet Union and Mexico, as well as Marxist organisations around the world.  They were also supported by the "International Brigades", comprised of volunteers from around the world.
• The Soviet Union supplied armaments and soldiers to the Republicans, including many generals and soldiers from the first world war who had been exiled by Stalin.
• The German government supplied arms and military "advisors" including the "Condor Legion", which provided the majority of the Nationalist Airforce.
• France and England agreed to prevent the supply of aid to the Republicans from abroad, although this did not affect the supply of aid from the Soviet union, Italy or Germany
• Idealogically, the Nationalists were conservative, in favour of the status quo including democratic government and the power of the Catholic Church; the Republicans were progressive, containing socialists, communists and liberals.  The Republicans also included ethnic groups seeking independence, such as the Catalonians and Basques, as well as Anarchists (who sought the formation of a perfect society in which no laws or government was needed)
• The Town of Guernica was a Basque stronghold, and contained an oak tree under which the Basque parliment traditionaly sat.
• General Franco ordered the attack upon Guernica following unsuccessful Nationalist attacks upon Basque held territories.
• Following the attack upon Guernica, the Nationalist forces attempted to blame the attack upon so-called "Red" arsonists (republicans), however the Times Special Correspondent in Bilbao was actually machine-gunned by aircraft of the Nationalist Condor Legion when he went to view the aftermath of the attack on Guernica.
• There was no military value in the attack on Guernica, it was a "terror raid" designed to undermine the Republican forces will to fight.

Bibliography

The Avalon Project (2008) The Second Hague Convention (1907) [Online] At: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hague04.asp (Accessed on 28/02/2011)

Tonge, Stephen (2011) The Spanish Civil War [Online] At: http://www.historyhome.co.uk/europe/spaincw.htm (Accessed on 28/02/2011)

The Times Special Correspondent (1937) Bombing of Guernica In: The Times [Online archive] At: http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1937-05-06-15-001&pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1937-05-06-15 (Accessed on 28/02/2011)

Meeting

I'm just making sure that we are still meeting up on Tuesday at Lunch to put the presentation together, let me know if this is still correct.

Research 1

This is my first set of notes for the information on Guernica, I will put the rest up later.

Picasso’s Guernica : History, transformations, meanings. Herschel B. Chipp, 1989, Thames and Hudson ltd, London

· ‘In the nightmare of the dark,

All the dogs of Europe bark,

And the living nations wait,

Each sequested in its hate.’

- W. H. Auden

· Early January 1937 Josep Lluis Sert contactes Picasso, shortly after he, Max Aub (culture counsellor of the spannish embasy), Juan Larrea (poet and embassies director public information), Luis Lacasa (architect) and other men arrived at Picasso’s to ask him to ‘participate in a project of great symbolic significance for the Spanish republic.’ (pg 3)

· Luis Araquistain was planning a pavilion for the Paris world’s fair to show 1) the Spanish republic still existed, 2) that they legally represented the country and not Franco’s military regime. (pg3)

· It was to late to start planning, only 4 months left and no plans for the pavilion. (pg 4)

· They asked Picasso to do a large mural of his own chosen subject. (pg 4)

· Picasso hesitated – the project was obviously political propaganda for the republic. And other reasons. (pg 4)

· In his youth in Barcelona he had several sheets of drawings of war. ‘Devine Allegory’ 1895, ‘Boes’ 1900, ‘End of the road’ 1898.

·

http://www.barcelona-budget.net/Pablo-Picasso-The-End-of-the-Road-1898-99_jpg.html (28/02/2011, 10:33)

• ‘End of the road ‘depict a scene from the contemporary play about the return to Spain of defeated soldiers and colonists during the Spanish American war.’ (pg 4)

· During the Spanish civil war Picasso gets reports from his mother of the terror in Barcelona and there are constant reports of fighting and bombing. (pg 6)

· Picasso is careful not to take a stand on this even though many of his friends and fellow artists do in their work from poets to painters.

· Gertrude Steins is quoted to have said ‘Picasso was less concerned with the events themselves than with their having happened in Spain.’ (pg 6)

· He carried on painting Dora Maar.

· ‘When he was once asked about his politics he answered that he was a royalist because Spain was a monarchy and that he would be a republican if Spain were a republic.’ (pg 6)

· He would answer questions evasive or maliciously misleading but in fact they were impudent replies to probing questions – he refused to be cornered into agreeing with others ideas. (pg 6)

· September 1936 he was appointed honorary director of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Which made him very proud. (pg 7)

· The Museo del prado was shelled in November by troops trying to enter the city.

· 8 and 9 January 1937 he wrote the poem ‘Dream and Lie of Franco (sueno y mentira de franco) (pg11)

· In the panels that went with the poem he portrays Franco in caricature giving him many forms that represent manifestations of evil (pd 12-13)

· Picasso is still torn between the concern for his compatriots who were suffering and his antipathy towards political dogmas. (pg17)

· He was unable to donate a painting that he had already done.

· News reaches Paris 27 April, the evening after the attack on Guernica.

· 5 days latter (Saturday 1^st may) there is a demonstration in Paris over the destruction of Guernica, outrage at the bombing and appeals for aid for the victims. (pg43)

Research 1: Bulleting an initial plan

Research 1: Bulleting an initial plan

Group 13 | Picassos Guernica (1937) | Time Machine

The international handbook on innovation

(Book)

By Larisa V. Shavinina

Chapter 13

(pp.222)

•Guernica; the process of creation.

·         "Information concerning structure in Picasso's thought processes".

(pp.227)

•"When Picasso painted Guernica, he was in his mid-50's and had been an artist for most of that time." Maybe look at some of his life experience, wisdom of his perceptivity which can be associated to bring/support findings on the internal symbology of Guernica.  

(pp.230)

•"Furthermore, the strong correspondence between Minotauromachy and Guernica shown in Table 5 is actually an underestimation of the true correspondence."

(pp.231)

•There is a link between Minotauromachy and Guernica

·         Linked by a web of interrelationships (complex network of illustrative meanings/symbolic)

•Guernica also contains the skeleton of a bullfight

•Guernica is the development of individual characters.

·         This illustrates a possible waypoint; in as much that we can begin to understand Picasso's thoughts and feeling.

Summary: Information connects/points to Picasso's earlier piece, Minotauromachy (1935).

_________________________________________________________________

LIFE - Picasso

(Magazine)

Picasso: his women: the wonder is that he found so much time to paint

(pp.92)

•Caption under the Minotauromachy image print: "Picasso's 1935 etching "Minotauromachy" anticipates the Guernica composition, but in reverse."

(pp.93)

•"Of all animals, bulls are the richest in mythical associations. In the Mediterranean imagination, which Picasso shares through heritage and blood, bulls figures both as gods and monsters, heroes and villians, saviors and victims."

·         Ancient Greek God: "Zeus himself took the shape of a noble bull to carry off Europa."  

•"No question in Guernica has been argued so headedly as the meaning of the bull, and the debate is still going on."

·         A friend a of Picasso, a critic: "Threatening bull, hence the fascist cause."

·         Countered: "Picasso himself is on record as stating, years ago, that the bull is not fascism; "brutality and darkness, yes, but not fascism."

·         Continued: "Yet his preliminary sketches show that he wavered between an evil bull and a noble one."

Fig 1. Picasso's Minotauromachy (1935).

_________________________________________________________________

List of Illustrations

Figure 1. Picasso, Pablo. (1935) Minotauromachy. [Etching] At: http://www.aestheticrealism.org/News-ck.jpg (Accessed on: 23.02.11)

Bibliography

Shavinina, V., L. (2003) The international handbook on innovation. (1st ed.) Oxford: Elsevier Science Ltd.

Research: Review and Commence

Research: Review and Commence

Recap!- Just so I an have an S.O.S for brief:

1) A clear introduction to your presentation, which should also mention the

different published sources you have used and your reasons for choice. You

should use no less than 5 published sources to inform your presentation.

2) A clear definition of key ideas relating to your given topic, with supporting

evidence in the form of, no less than, 3 quotations from 3 different published

sources. Quotations must be interpreted and their importance discussed, they

should also be referenced correctly using the Harvard method.

3) The cultural context (political and social) in which the topic came out of/was in

reaction to.

4) An illustrated ‘who’s who’ of key individuals associated with given topic, with a

clear explanation of what you think their significance is and why.

5) Historical examples of key words/images/artefacts associated with given topic

and an assessment of their importance.

6) Contemporary examples of key words/images/artefacts associated with given

topic and a comparison to the historical examples.

7) A ‘bullet point’ conclusion.

8) A bibliography and illustration list correctly set out using the Harvard method.

9) A PDF version of presentation for uploading to myUCA.

Okay, so this is my first entry. Will hopefully blast through some of the research this Saturday and get the ball rolling on this one. I will be looking at the art form embodiment and the visual language of the piece, touching up on "Cubist", "War art before and after" (analysing Spanish Civil War and similar), and other forms of art at the time in regard to war.

Initial thoughts for further development: Lots of iconicography going on within Picasso's Guernica. In terms of activity, there is much going on. A good starting point would be to translate the symbolic use of animals and their purposes which contribute towards the depths and qualities: Really, the expression lies within the configuration of each and every detail through simple lines. Etc, etc.

Very brief for now, will update with more on Saturday!   

                                                                                     

Note: Guys, have a chosen a group name? We need a group name!

                                                                                     

Meeting 17/2/2011

So here are the notes from the meeting we had today.

Daniel is looking into History: Spanish civil war, War in general and after the civil war.

Dayle is looking is looking at Art: Cubist, War art before and after, other forms of art at the time.

Stephanie is looking at the painting: The effect, the relevance now (the UN version)

Im looking at the painting: the Artist and the painting.

Hi guys,

yesterday me and Daniel met up quickly to discuss what we're looking at for the project and What it would be good to look at, The rise of the fascists, anti war paintings, art of the first world war. These were just a few things we talked about. I think it would be a great idea if we all meet up this week, maybe Thursday?

Contextualising

If I understood the brief, we need to look at a few things in relation to Picasso's Guernica

• The tradition of paintings commemorating  military events
• Contemporary reports of the bombing of Guernica
• The Spanish Civil War?
• Picasso's previous paintings
• More modern depictions of war?

Can anyone think of anything else?

Group Name

We also need to come up with a name for the group; any suggestions?

Quick Background

Our artifact is Picasso's Guernica, shown below



Fig. 1 Guernica

  This massive painting (3.5m high and 7.75m long) was painted by Picasso in response to the bombing of the spanish town of Guernica by the German airforce in support of the fascist forces loyal to General Franco.

If I understood the briefing correctly, we'll need to look into things like why the bombing happened, and why Picasso chose to document it in this form.

List of Illustrations

Figure 1.   Pablo Picasso (1937) Guernica [Oil on canvas] At: http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/Images/110images/sl24_images/guernica_details/guernica_all.jpg (Accessed on 03/02/2011)