Analysis of the “Bull” Image in Picasso's Guernica

Abstract

The bull motif is a recurring visual element in Picasso's works. Centered on the bull imagery in his iconic piece Guernica, this study analyzes the symbolic significance of the bull and its deep psychological resonance with Picasso through the lens of art psychology, drawing parallels with two contemporaneous works: Franco's Dreams and Lies and The Bullfighter and the Great Bull. The study reveals that the bull serves as a crucial vehicle for projecting Picasso's inner self-image. The violence and indifference embodied by the bull in Guernica stem from the artist's conscious expression of trauma from the Spanish Civil War, while also incorporating unconscious manifestations of negative psychological factors rooted in childhood patriarchal pressures. The study further reveals that in Franco's Dreams and Lies, the bull as an embodiment of justice represents Picasso's earnest desire to end the civil war. In The Bullfighter and the Great Bullfight, the wounded, rebellious bull symbolically reenacts Picasso's emotional struggle with his wife Olga and his yearning to break free from constraints.