Metaphors In Art Essay

Metaphors in art are the oldest form of visual communication. Artists have incorporated symbols and metaphors into their work since humans first began to explore the world of visual expression. Prior to written language, cave paintings served as communication through illustrated representations of animals and various symbols. During medieval times churches interpreted the bible to those unable to read through visual metaphors and iconography. Nonetheless, these images were often complex; using references as representation. For example, the cross or crucifix is a simple, universal representation of Christianity. However, identifying a saint with an ointment jar as Mary Magdalene is not quite as direct. Puzzles, riddles, and symbols are still part of the vast appeal of art and have continued to grow and develop over time. The metaphors found in modern art are generally less straightforward and more puzzling. Modern artists have often used their paintings as vessels to express personal beliefs, ideas, and thoughts. When artists choose this form of expression it can make it more difficult for the viewer to decode the meaning behind it. We all find pleasure and resolution in the challenge of understanding what we had previously not. This is exactly what Picasso did in many of his paintings - challenged his viewers to interpret his art openly. For for the past century scholars have taken on this challenge by analyzing the meaning behind the image of the bull and horse in Guernica, one of Picasso’s most significant paintings.
Picasso is one of the most celebrated and influential artists of the twentieth century. A Spanish native and long term Paris inhabitant, Picasso’s style is full of both tradition and innovation. In 1901, at the age...

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...the woman holding out the light in the upper portion of the mural. The woman holds an old, oil lamp in the presence of electricity. The outdated lamp brightens the scene with genuine light. Gottlieb argues that the woman holding the light is an allegory representing righteousness and the integrity of the Spanish people.
It is clear that Picasso’s Guernica is full of very personal and political symbolism. With careful review, the once overwhelming mural becomes an organized composition, connecting all it’s characters to one another. Out of the four interpretations presented, Carla Gottlieb provides the strongest and most convincing argument. Her proposal of the symbolism behind the bull and the horse are well supported through extensive evidence. Her theories and interconnecting figures create a comprehensive and solid message of the death and rebirth of a country.