Example research essay topic: Spanish Civil War Success And Failure - 1,166 words

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Picasso's Guernica is unique and unlike any other photograph or painting of a historical war scene. Historical photographs show scenes and capture moments in time, but when viewing them an intangible "wall" exists between the viewer and the photograph. The difference between photographs and original paintings is that the painting allows the viewer to break through the "wall" and actually experience the feelings and emotions expressed in the painting. "We only see what we look at and to look is act of choice. " ("Ways of Seeing" 8) "The photographer's way of seeing is reflected in his choice of subject, they are showing you what they want you to see. " ("Ways of Seeing" 10) Photographs are taken for a reason; there are many other angles or other scenes a photographer can choose from and it is up to the photographer to decide which one the viewer sees. In essence, the viewer only sees one aspect of the image captured with the lens of the camera. For example, "when only the head of a figure is visible in a picture which appeals to visual thinking-as distinguished, for example, from a news photograph which many make use of the sense of sight merely for the purpose of informing us of what went on in a certain place-that figure is always to be seen as being incomplete. " (Arnheim 11) The eye cannot continue beyond the borders of the photograph and the wholeness of the picture is lost. In a painting, the artist has painted all of the elements to be seen simultaneously. "The spectator may need time to examine each element of the painting but whenever he reaches a conclusion the simultaneity of the whole painting is here to reverse or quality his conclusion. " ("Ways of Seeing" 26) A painting maintains its own authority, the painting does not capture momentary appearances it creates its' own.

In doing so the viewer becomes a part of the painting, when the viewer steps away from the painting he is no longer an influence or a part of the painting. Paintings can not be seen in two places at the same time, "when the camera reproduces a painting, it destroys the uniqueness of its image. " ("Ways of Seeing" 13) The uniqueness is destroyed because the painting now travels to the spectator rather then the spectator to the painting. "The viewer, views it in his or her surroundings and it is influenced by their surroundings. " ("Ways of Seeing" 19) "The true meaning of Picasso's Guernica is lifted out of space and time coordinates in the civil war to become a summa on all wars and all victims. " (Nash 17) "On April 26, 1937 German planes dropped bombs on the town of Guernica and caused many civilian casualties. " (Bar 200) When news reached the world, public outcries arouse because "the town was the first ever to be bombed in order to intimidate a civilian population. " ("Success and Failure" 166) In January of 1937 Picasso was commissioned by the Spanish Government to paint a mural for its building at the World's Fair in Paris. "He played with the subject of the Spanish Civil War but after the bombing occurred, "he was influenced to paint about the incident. " (Arnheim 18) His first sketch was done on May 1, 1937, just 34 days later Guernica was completed. (Male) Guernica was a unique painting for Picasso to create because he never wanted to be influenced by the outside world. Historians argue that Guernica is the exception and Picasso allowed him-self to be influenced and expressed his views. "This assumption has encourage historians predispose to seek political motivation in works of art to read Guernica as Picasso's statement on the issues of the Spanish civil War. " (Chip 69) It is known that Picasso was an artist who tried avoiding any social responsibilities. A long time friend, D. -H. Kahnweiler often stated that "he was the most apolitical man he had ever known. " (Chipp 6) Picasso did speak with an American correspondent once and stated, "I have not painted the war because I am not the kind of painter who goes out like a photographer. But without question the war is in these paintings I have done. " (Nash 13) When the viewer strips away all of the political issues associated with Guernica, "it is a painting about how Picasso imagines suffering; and in it he is painting his own suffering as he daily hears the news from his own country. " ("Success and Failure" 169) Guernica does not affect the painting, the painting effects Guernica. "Rather then re-create a disastrous event he had not even witnessed, he was searching for a motif of personal significance that would convey the intensity of his feelings about everything he was reacting to. " (Chip 71) Guernica is a rather complex intermingled collage of emotions felt by Picasso, "he himself has called the painting an allegory-but never fully explained the symbols he had used and this is probably because they have too many meanings for him. " ("Success and Failure" 167) On one level of Guernica, "Picasso found some of his feelings through the spectacle event of bull fighting. " (Chipp 46) As a child Picasso was fascinated by bullfighting, a national pastime in his home country of Spain, and grew to admire the tradition. "Bullfighting may shift violently in the bullring from a celebration of human artistry, skill, and courage to the misery of a brutal death in the arena's bloodied sands. " (Chipp 47) When Picasso made his first sketch of Guernica, he related the first concept to the only moment in the bullfight when there are no victors, only victims, the corrida.

The corrida occurs when the bull is enticed to attack the horse and while the bull gores the horse, the picador drives his lance into the bull's straining neck muscles. "For the bull this means that although he is enjoying a moment of ecstatic gratification, he is also suffering grave damage to his offensives capabilities-his powerful neck muscles-that will make him a more ready victim to the matador's sword in the final act. " (Chipp 50) "The violence of the bull-horse struggle is an excellent visual analogue of the agony of the human victims of Guernica as well as that of the Spanish people, divided and locked in a suicidal civil war while reeling under the assaults of foreign invaders. " (Chipp 71) Another aspect of Guernica that expresses suffering to the viewer is that the horse is depicted without a photo. A photo is a padded coat that the horse is required by law to wear in order to help ease its suffering. Before 1927 when this law went into effect, both animals were doomed to die in the ring and always suffered greatly during the encounter, "thus giving the first act of the corrida a poignant aspect of suffering. " (Chipp 50) This aspect of suff...

Research essay sample on Spanish Civil War Success And Failure