Guernica

Imagine a painting so big it feels like you could walk right into it. But inside, there are no bright, happy colors. I am a world of black, white, and gray shapes. Look closely. You can see a horse with a long face, a strong bull, and people with their mouths open as if they are shouting or singing a very loud, sad song. I am a story told not with colors, but with feelings. I am the painting called Guernica.

My creator was a man with thoughtful eyes and busy hands. His name was Pablo Picasso, and he was a very famous artist. One day in 1937, he heard some terrible news about a small town in his home country of Spain. The town was called Guernica, and it had been terribly hurt during a war. This news made Picasso feel very sad and very angry. He knew he had to do something. He grabbed his biggest canvas—that’s the cloth artists paint on—and his pots of black and white paint. He didn't want to use happy colors. He wanted to paint the big, sad feelings so that everyone in the world would see them and understand that fighting is never the answer.

Picasso made me huge so nobody could ignore my message. When I was finished, he sent me on a journey. I traveled across the ocean to different countries and lived in museums where many people could see me. I was like a giant postcard telling a very important story about peace. For many, many years, I waited for the fighting to end in Spain. Finally, when peace returned to his home country, it was time for me to go home, too. In 1981, I traveled back to Spain, where I live today, reminding everyone of the town that shares my name.

Even though I show a very sad moment, my real job is to be a symbol of hope. A symbol is something that stands for a big idea. I am a reminder to use kind words instead of fists, and to take care of each other. When you look at me, look for the little flower growing and the light that shines in the darkness. They are there to remind you that even after sad times, peace and kindness can grow again. I am here to help you imagine a world where everyone is a friend.