Pablo Picasso painted (already mentioned and displayed on this blog) Guernica (1937). This painting was commissioned by the Spanish republican government and is considered to be a monumentally “potent and political totem” (Moffit 1999:213).
This painting measures in at just less than 4 by 8 meters and coveys what many believe to be a sincere outrage of the unprovoked slaughter of the Basque people. Guernica uses what are considered “standard Golden Age Vanitas motifs” (Moffit 1999:213); motifs such as candles, skulls helping to illustrate Spanish themes such as blood, life and death. Picasso at this time was known not for his political work but for “draughtsmanship, style and elegance” (Moffit 1999:212) and after this grainy, black-and-white iconography he moved away from “ethnic outrage” and back to “industrious … elegant disquisitions on the history of art” (Moffit 1999:213).
While this was on brief out cry of anger with the slaughter, it is interesting and compelling illustration of the bombing of Basque civilians by the German Condor. Given Picasso’s Spanish origins it is interesting that such monumental piece of art about the Basque region has in fact came from someone outside of it which is often a typical trait of the Spanish art during the Golden Age “Even at its most ethnically authentic (castizo) level, Spanish art could scarcely distance itself from current European influences [and] delayed reverberations from French Impressionism” (Moffit 1999:195).
What should be discussed on the subject of Spanish art is the ‘Franco Aesthetic’ lasting 40 years and still present within Spain this dictated government ‘sponsored’ it is said to be “weathered peasants and heroic troopers inhabiting bleak, Castilian-heartland … was favoured by the Franco government after the triumph of its ‘Crusade’ or ‘National Uprising’” (Moffit 1999:218). This was an blatantly obvious attempt control their population, of course this was not the case and the maturing youth revolted against this oppressive regime. Small side note: given that “Architecture expresses the power and the mission of the State” (Moffit 1999:219) mapping and documenting what is left of both Franco’s regime in art and architecture as well as the counter discourse will be extremely interesting.
At the end of the Second World War, Spain was put under a blockade given that it was the only Fascist Nation to survive the war, which threatened their economy. Creating stagnation in the progression of their art. A group called “‘Dau al Set’ (‘Seven-Spot Die’ in Catalan)” (Moffit 1999:220) ended this stagnation and just as before was the received numerous other European sources for inspiration. Spain while still under Franco’s regime, did in fact allow their art to evolve and change in the face of an ever more powerful west. Avant-garde post-modernist art was encouraged, possibly in an attempt to disguise their fascist approach. However the construction of the Guggenheim in Bilbao: Basque Country’s capital city has been described as a “’cultural franchise’ [and] ‘McDonalization of the universe’” (Moffit 1999:231); Suggesting not fascism but a capitalist agenda over ruling a proud culture.
Moffit, F. J. (1999) The Arts in Spain. London: Thames and Hudson Ltd.
SRGF (2012) Bilbao – Guggenheim [online] available from <http://www.guggenheim.org/bilbao> [1/3 2012]