Picasso and Georges Braque developed this technique and used it to simplify and distill any three-dimensional subject into a multi-faceted, “cubist” shape. Picasso was also greatly influenced by the carved, angular shapes of African masks, an inspiration that can be seen in many of his paintings.
Its monochromatic color palette, intense contrast, and large, violent images are visceral, compelling, and unforgettable even today. . . for those who saw it in 1937, with international tensions running high and World War II looming on the horizon, Guernica struck home like a bolt of lightning
