Guernica by Pablo Picasso
Guernica was painted by Pablo Picasso as a reaction to the happenings in the Spanish Civil War in 1937. This painting shows the spoils of war and the agony and destruction it caused onto the people. The increasingly famous painting constantly reminded everyone of the cataclysms of war. Picasso uses white, black and grey to create a gloomy atmosphere in order to convey the disarray situation. Picasso also wanted to put in place his identity and strength as an artist in such situations of violence and assertion of authority. The message in the painting was so strong, that its fame brought the Spanish Civil War to awareness in other parts of the world (TotallyHistory, 2012).
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The Son of Man by Rene Magritte
The painting depicts a man in a suit beneath a coat while wearing a hat. His face features are unclear, because a green apple is floating in front of it. However, a part of his eyes can still be seen. He stands in front of a wall. Behind the wall is the sea and gray clouds. Another unique feature of the painting is that the man’s left arm seems to bend backwards.
According to Magritte, this painting shows that “everything we see hides some other thing yet we still want to see what is hidden by what we see” (www.ReneMagritte.org, n.d.). In other words, we are always interested in what is hidden and what is not shown to us. Though simple, the message in this painting can be easily interpreted. It is straightforward and has much relevance in the world today, which makes the message strong and important. |
Nighthawks by Edward Hopper
There are no doors to the diner, allowing viewers to focus on the occupants of the diner. Although they are physically close to one another, there is completely no communication between any of them. The man and woman are especially close physically, but again, there is no way of knowing if they know each other. The man in the gray suit sits alone.
Hopper uses detail in his work, for example in the salt and pepper shakers and the cup. Hopper originally wanted to portray a “moment in time fraught with unanswered questions” (Benford, n.d.). However, along with this, he had subconsciously relayed a message about the loneliness of a large city (The Art Institute of Chicago, 2013). Nevertheless, his message was clear and, like the previous artwork, straightforward. It is strong and thought-provoking. |
Whistler’s Mother by James McNeill Whistler
The artist used different techniques in this particular artwork. For example, his mother’s dress is painted in dark colors thinly while he applies luminosity on her skin. This shows his effort in using colors to light and make his subject ‘alive’. The painting received a mix of different reactions. Some interpret the Whistler’s mother as a icon of “a grave sentiment of mourning”.
This was due to the dark colors used in the painting. Others view the mother as a suitable icon of motherhood. In other words, this painting can be interpreted in many ways every time one looks at it. This in itself shows the strength of the artwork in delivering different messages. |