Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso - Term Paper Example The essay "Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso" discovers the Salvador Dali's and Pablo Picasso's art. Both Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso are well-known Spanish painters. They have not only accomplished a number of masterpieces that gained worldwide acceptance but they also received considerable criticisms that make them more famous. Dali, whose works usually deal with surrealism, is noted for absurdity. In his painting, Soft Construction with Boiled Beans, Dali presents an image of a monster tearing itself apart. This oil painting is usually referred to as a premonition of the Spanish Civil War because Dali made it six months before the war broke out. The painting, considered to be a surrealist painting, measures 100 cm x 99cm., and is currently housed in Philadelphia Art Museum of Art. Dali is famous for surrealism in his works. Convincingly the surreal nature of Dali’s images has led him to fame, but according to Saladyga, his â€Å"eccentric manner and attention-grabbing pu blic actions sometimes drew more attention than his artwork† (15). Specifically, Dali’s Soft Construction with Boiled Beans has gained him both positive and negative commentaries. Nevertheless, the subject, style, and symbols that he used make the painting a real masterpiece as it evokes the cultural and historical experience of the Spanish. Pablo Picasso is likewise a world-renowned Spanish painter and is even more famous and respected than Dali in the visual art scene. He is well-known for cubism, a style he himself made popular. With his craftsmanship and hard work, Picasso can be considered the most prolific artist not only of his time but even of all times. Throughout his lifetime, he produced a total of 6,000 paintings, 165 of which he painted in 1969 alone, when he was 88 years old (Whitman 53). He started painting at two years old and produced sketches, sculptures, lithography, and even plays before he died at 92 (Whitman 53). Guernica is one of his masterpieces . This oil painting, which measures 11  feet tall and 25.6 feet wide, was painted in 1937, two days after the bombing of Guernica. To date, it reminds the Spanish of the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica by some German bombers who were allegedly supporters of General Franco during the Spanish Civil War. At present, the painting is housed in Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid but a number of replications including the one in the United Nations have been on display worldwide. Both paintings mentioned reflect the painters’ view of the Spanish Civil War. According to Beevor (19), the war started on July 17, 1936 and lasted until April 1, 1939. It began after the proclamation of opposition by some Spanish generals led by Jose Sanjurjo against the leadership of the then President Manuel Azana. The group of generals were supported by a number of groups, including the Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right, Carlists, and Fascist Falange, which were strong political parties at th e time. Hence, the move resulted in political and military warfare. Later, the government obtained support from Germany, Italy and Portugal, thus heightening the conflict especially with the bombing of Guernica, Basque Country on April 26, 1937 by German and Italian troops. Guernica is said to be a marketplace, thus many people were hurt during the bombing, especially since that day was a market day.