Rethinking Guernica: Picasso's Masterpiece Goes Online in Gigapixel
The Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid has launched Rethinking Guernica, a dedicated website for Pablo Picasso's 1937 anti-war masterpiece. The platform serves as a research archive aggregating documents and testimonies from Spanish and international institutions, aiming to reconstruct the painting's influence on artistic and popular imagination. A key feature is the Gigapixel scan of Guernica, captured using ultraviolet, infrared, and X-ray frequencies, allowing viewers to explore layers invisible to the naked eye and examine brushstrokes and pentimenti. The site also includes accounts from those who experienced the painting firsthand, such as Roland Dumas, Picasso's executor who ensured the work could only return to Spain after democracy was restored. The initiative follows similar digital projects like the Rijksmuseum's Operation Night Watch, reflecting a pandemic-driven shift toward virtual exhibitions and online art platforms.
Key facts
- Museo Reina Sofía launched Rethinking Guernica website
- Guernica was painted by Pablo Picasso in 1937
- The painting was inspired by the bombing of Guernica by German and Italian forces
- Guernica was first exhibited at the 1937 Paris International Exposition
- The website includes Gigapixel scans using UV, infrared, and X-ray
- Roland Dumas, Picasso's executor, is featured on the site
- The project is similar to the Rijksmuseum's Operation Night Watch
- The site aims to document the painting's impact on art and popular culture
Entities
Artists
- Pablo Picasso
Institutions
- Museo Reina Sofía
- Rijksmuseum
Locations
- Madrid
- Spain
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands
- Guernica
- Paris
- France