In just two weeks, I’ll be heading to Spain to host our annual Story Circle Network International Sightseeing Tour and Writing Workshop. While I am always eager to go on these incredible trips, I am especially excited to have the chance this time to see Picasso’s Guernica in person. This extraordinary painting about the atrocities of war is often considered his most powerful work, and I can’t wait to stand before it.

The history behind Guernica is as compelling as the painting itself. In 1937, the Fascists carried out a relentless bombing of the Basque town of Guernica, which had only about 5,000 people. Over the course of several hours, more than 22 tons of bombs were dropped on the tiny village. The aim was to terrorize and demoralize anyone in Spain who resisted Franco. With the help of the Germans, this attack became the first large-scale experiment with what would later be called Blitzkrieg.

When Picasso learned about this horrific event, he dropped his other art projects and began working on a huge painting that would allow him to visually express his outrage and grief over the massive destruction of this small Spanish town. Using Cubism as his method, he painted fractured images and distorted forms in black, white, and gray as a commentary on the mayhem and unspeakable pain of war. When completed, the painting was displayed at the 1937 Paris International Exposition as part of the Spanish Pavilion, where it drew worldwide attention.

Knowing this history makes Guernica come alive in a new way. It’s obvious from the canvas that something appalling has occurred, but understanding Picasso’s urgent need to express his outrage gives the work a thousand times more meaning. His stark images of grief, destruction, and resilience are as relevant today as they were nearly a century ago.

I’ll be sure to report back after I’ve seen Guernica in person. For now, here is the painting for your perusal.