Pablo Picasso’s *Guernica* stands as one of the most potent anti-war paintings in modern history. Created in 1937, it was Picasso’s visceral response to the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. Nazi German and Italian Fascist forces, allied with Francisco Franco’s nationalist faction, carried out the attack, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians. Horrified by the brutality, Picasso channeled his outrage and sorrow into this monumental black-and-white mural.
*Guernica* does not depict the event in a literal manner. Instead, it conveys the horror and chaos of war through a surreal, symbolic composition. The painting is filled with tortured figures, both human and animal, locked in expressions of agony and despair.
One of the central figures is a screaming mother holding her dead child—a universal symbol of grief and loss.
Beside her, a bull stands strong and impassive, often interpreted as a symbol of brutality or stoic endurance. A dying horse, pierced and howling in pain, dominates the center of the composition, representing the innocent victims of violence.
Other symbols enhance the theme of destruction: a light bulb shaped like an all-seeing eye could be read as a symbol of technological terror or divine witness. A fallen soldier’s severed arm still clutches a broken sword, beside which a single flower blooms—perhaps a fragile sign of hope amid devastation. Dislocated, fragmented bodies fill the canvas, emphasizing the chaos and inhumanity of modern warfare.
The monochromatic palette—stark blacks, whites, and grays—strips the image of any romanticism. There is no beauty in this violence, only suffering. Picasso rejected color to make the message even starker and more immediate.
More than just a reaction to a single atrocity, *Guernica* has become a timeless cry against the cruelty of war and the suffering of innocent people. It speaks not only to the Spanish Civil War but to the universal cost of conflict. Today, *Guernica* remains a symbol of peace and resistance—a reminder that art can bear witness to injustice and awaken the conscience of the world.
Guernica as a Symbol in Pro-Palestinian Protests
Using Guernica in Gaza protests is a powerful symbolic gesture that draws from the painting’s enduring message against the horrors of war and the suffering of innocent civilians.
Pablo Picasso’s Guernica has been prominently featured in pro-Palestinian rallies across Europe, serving as a powerful symbol to protest the violence in Gaza and draw parallels between historical and contemporary civilian suffering.
Madrid, Spain: In February 2024, pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered at the Reina Sofia Museum, home to Picasso’s Guernica, to protest Israel’s actions in Gaza. They displayed Palestinian flags and called for an end to the violence, using the painting’s anti-war message to underscore their stance.
Guernica, Basque Country: On December 8, 2023, over 3,000 people in the town of Guernica formed a human mosaic depicting the Palestinian flag and elements of Picasso’s Guernica. The event, organized by the Guernica-Palestine Citizens’ Initiative, aimed to draw parallels between the 1937 bombing of Guernica and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
San Sebastián, Spain: In March 2024, following a pro-Palestinian rally, hundreds participated in a ‘die-in’ next to a massive banner of Guernica, symbolizing the casualties in Gaza and connecting past and present atrocities.
Archive Stories
These instances illustrate how Guernica continues to resonate as a universal emblem against the horrors of war, being repurposed to highlight and protest contemporary conflicts affecting civilians.
Reported by Marzieh Rahmani
