A: Guernica is a mural-size canvas that Pablo Picasso created for the Paris World Expo in 1937. He was invited by the Spanish government to create it for the country's national pavilion to draw people's attention to the ongoing civil war there.
The painting depicts the scene after the bombing of the Basque town of the same name on April 26 of that year. The aerial attack conducted by the German Luftwaffe was the first saturation bombing of a civilian city - as opposed to hitting military targets - and 1,654 civilians died.
The painting was completed in June, only a few weeks after the attack. Picasso wanted to reflect on the tragic nature of war, and the suffering that was imposed on members of the public, especially women and children.
The painting, which measures 3.5 m in height and 7.8 m in width, is blue, white and black. The work is viewed as a key anti-war symbol and a reminder of the suffering caused by foreign aggressors.
It impressed expo visitors and was later exhibited around the world. It is now permanently housed in the Reina Sofa, Spain's national gallery for contemporary art, along with other national art treasures including works by Salvador Dali.
