Why is this painting so shocking? - Iseult Gillespie

Why is this painting so shocking? - Iseult Gillespie

Published: September 24, 2026

Duration: 8:00

Discover the history and symbolism of Pablo Picasso’s powerful anti-war mural, “Guernica,” rendered in his signature Cubist style.

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In 1937, in one of the worst civilian casualties of the Spanish Civil War, Fascist forces bombed the village of Guernica in Northern Spain. For Pablo Picasso, the tragedy sparked a frenzied period of work in which he produced a massive anti-war mural, titled “Guernica.” How can we make sense of this overwhelming image, and what makes it a masterpiece of anti-war art? Iseult Gillespie investigates.

Lesson by Iseult Gillespie, directed by Avi Ofer.

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