[Gallery Walk] 'Massacre in Korea' Returns to Our Land After 70 Years

Anti-War Works Depicting the Horrors of the Korean War
Exposing War Violence and Expressing a Desire for Peace

Over 110 Pieces Exhibited at Seoul Arts Center... Artworks Valued at 2 Trillion Won
Man with Mandolin and Portrait of Marie Th?r?se... Experience the Essence of Cubism

Pablo Picasso, Massacre in Korea, 1951, Oil on plywood. (Photo by Biche Art Museum)

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] The width of the painting made of plywood is just over 2 meters. The right half depicts six soldiers aiming their guns to the left. They resemble robots more than humans. Wearing helmets and holding long swords, they look like medieval knights. On the left, there are three adult women, a girl, and four children. All are naked. The woman holding a child has a contorted expression as if crying out loud. Some appear frozen in fear, their faces pale. There is even a child playing innocently with dirt, seemingly unaware of the situation. In the background, burning trees and ruined buildings can be seen on green grass. The hazy gray sky contrasts with the green, creating an even more bleak atmosphere.

The painting is "Massacre in Korea" by Pablo Picasso (1881?1973), a master of modern art. Picasso began conceptualizing the work immediately after the outbreak of the Korean War on June 25, 1950, and completed it on January 18, 1951. The piece was first exhibited in May of the same year at the Salon des M?tiers in Paris, France. Seventy years later, "Massacre in Korea" set foot on Korean soil for the first time through the "140th Anniversary of Picasso's Birth Special Exhibition" held at the Hangaram Art Museum in Seoul's Seocho District.

Dr. Junsoo Seo, who oversaw the exhibition, commented, "'Massacre in Korea' is not actually a well-painted picture." Picasso's distinctive Cubist style is only minimally evident. The composition of the painting was directly borrowed from Spanish Romantic painter Francisco de Goya's (1746?1828) "The Third of May 1808" and French Impressionist ?douard Manet's (1832?1883) "The Execution of Maximilian." Unlike Picasso's earlier anti-war masterpieces such as "Guernica" (1937) or "The Charnel House" (1944?1946), "Massacre in Korea" did not receive favorable reviews from the art world at the time of its release.

Nevertheless, "Massacre in Korea" is significant for exposing the violence of war and expressing a yearning for peace. Dr. Seo explained, "'Guernica' and 'The Charnel House' dealt with concluded events, but 'Massacre in Korea' depicts an ongoing event, which is a key difference. The green background ultimately reflects a wish for peace."

A view of Pablo Picasso displayed at the '140th Anniversary of Picasso's Birth Special Exhibition' currently held at Hangaram Art Museum, Seoul Arts Center, Seocho-gu, Seoul.

"The painting was not made to decorate a home. It is a weapon of war for attack and defense against the enemy." This is a quote from Picasso displayed in a corner of the exhibition hall. Picasso did not view art solely as an aesthetic value. He saw it as an act to actively convey political messages. This likely explains why he joined the Communist Party. In an interview with the French Communist Party's publication L'Humanit? on October 29?30, 1944, he said:

"My joining the Communist Party is the logical result of my life and all my works. I have never regarded painting as mere play or leisure. Through my drawings and paints, which were my weapons, I wanted to delve deeper into the knowledge of the world and humanity... But I realized that was not enough. The terrible years of oppression I witnessed showed me that I must fight not only with art but also with myself. So I joined the Communist Party without hesitation."

The exhibition features over 110 works by Picasso, including oil paintings, prints, sculptures, and ceramics. The total value of these works is estimated at about 2 trillion won. All were brought from the Picasso National Museum in Paris.

Pablo Picasso, Man with a Mandolin, 1911, oil on canvas. (Photo by Biche Art Museum)

Many works showcasing the essence of Cubism, Picasso's greatest achievement in art history, are also on display. Cubism is an art movement that developed after Picasso unveiled "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" in 1907. It is regarded as an "art revolution" that broke the 400-year-old Renaissance (14th?16th century) traditions characterized by perspective, oil paints, and chiaroscuro.

A representative work is "Man with a Mandolin" (1911). Measuring 62 cm wide and 71 cm tall, it is the largest among Picasso's major Cubist works in the exhibition. Between 1911 and 1913, Picasso created a series of eight large Cubist works featuring musicians as protagonists, and this piece is one of them. Lines and geometric shapes intertwine seemingly chaotically.

A subject inseparable from Picasso's art is "women." He had relationships with seven women during his lifetime, married twice, and had four children. Picasso created various works featuring these women. Among them, "Portrait of Marie-Th?r?se" (1937) is the most colorful in the women's series displayed at the exhibition. The model was Marie-Th?r?se Walter, a 17-year-old girl Picasso met in 1926 when he was 45. The overall tone is young and bright, with blue-toned skin and vividly colored clothing. The face is depicted simultaneously from the front and side.