Picasso - Guernica

In January 1937, the Spanish Rebublican government asked Picasso to paint a mural for the Spanish pavilion at the Exposition Universelle in Paris. At first unsure of how to tackle a task of such importance, Picasso was spurred into action by news reports of the horrific aerial bombardment of the Basque town of Guernica, victim of the civil war. He worked intensively, producing more than fifty studies and making extensive revisions to the vast canvas which was installed in Paris in mid-June. Redolent with political allusions, reportage and historical references, the painting has attracted debate and analysis ever since its completion. Scala's 4-fold format is ideal for exploring this fascinating painting. Divided into thematic sections, it takes the reader through each aspect of the painting, showing preliminary sketches, repeated themes in Picasso's work and dramatic aerial shots of the bombing of Guernica, culminating in a splendid horizontal fold-out of the entire painting. The Series Scala are pr