Picasso's War: The Extraordinary Story of an Artist, an Atrocity and a Painting That Shook the World: Amazon.co.uk: Russell Martin: Books

Review

Praise for PICASSO'S WAR: PICASSO'S WAR by Russell Martin 'Martin's account of the destruction of the Basque town of Gernika is sensitively interwoven with a documentation of the evolution of Picasso's masterpiece. It is curiously unbiased testament to suffering and explores different nations' appropriation of Guernica since its conception in 1937...It is a biography of exile - of the destruction of identity and the home' Daily Telegraph 20/12 'engaging' OBSERVER 'In his ingenious biography of Picasso's GUERNICA, Martin turns up a host of fascinating detail' INDEPENDENT 'A fascinating account...Martin...exhibits considerable skill in weaving the history of the picture into the history of its times' THE SPECTATOR 'Martin closely follows the political career and travels of the painting from the initial show and lack of interest taken in it by the press in Paris to its present international status as one of the most significant pictures of the 20th century - and of the 21st, too' THE TIMES 'He [Martin] has produced a skilful blend of art, politics and history to account for the creation and fate of one of the indisputable masterpieces of the 20th century.' SUNDAY TIMES 'It's an impressively diligent book...everyone interested in Picasso will be grateful to know how the painting came into being and how its afterlife has made it a focus for national feeling, let alone protests against war. Moreover, Martin does well to understand how detached Picasso was from world affairs in some respects, while being fiercely engaged in others' Andrew Motion, THE GUARDIAN 'Certain great paintings accumulate incredible histories... In this well-conceived and intelligently felt book, Russell Martin skilfully summarises the historical context' Frances Spalding, THE INDEPENDENT 'Martin has constructed a highly readable narrative from the turbulent life of a great painting. He has a good, clear prose style. He interweaves art history, Spanish history, art criticism and global politics with some skill' George Rosie, SUNDAY HERALD (Glasgow) 'A usefully simplified account of the military and political twists that led to the bombing...Although Martin's personal narrative adds an emotional gloss, his centring of historical perspectives around a work of art creates a clarity unmuddied by the anecdotal' TIME OUT 'nothing here is less than gripping...this is a rattling good yarn, unflagging in its interest' Valentine Cunningham, TLS 'In this moving book, Martin tells how the work came into being, what influence it has had, and how it changed the personality of the artist' GOOD BOOK GUIDE Praise for BEETHOVEN'S HAIR: 'A terrific story - odd, suspenseful, controversial and ultimately revealing' THE DENVER POST 'An engrossing tale of an odd subject. First-class history, and a fascinating exposition of forensic science' TORENTO GLOBE AND MAIL Praise for OUT OF SILENCE: 'A deeply moving rendering of human beings in adversity ... Other accounts of the suffering of autism have been published, but few can vie with this one for thoughfulness, scholarship, and personal accent' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW 'A wholly remarkable book ... Martin leaves us with a deeper understanding of language itself, a richer appreciation of its promise, and a realization that the ability to communicate is a kind of grace' THE LOS ANGELES TIMES 'From time to time a special book is written that changes one's way of perceiving the self and the world, and that challenges one to rethink what being human really means. Russell Martin has written such a book... It is a book that should become a classic' BLOOMSBURY REVIEW Praise for ENTERING SPACE: 'ENTERING SPACE is a knowing and scrupulously detailed account of the most ambitious American adventure aloft. It gives a sense of the prosaic minutiae and the dumb-struck wonder of traveling through space' TIME

Sunday Times

'[Martin] has produced a skilful blend of art, politics and history.' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

Irony 22 Feb 2003

By taking a rest HALL OF FAME

Format:Hardcover

Hanging in The United Nations is a tapestry that replicates the image of the painting that is the subject of Russell Martin's book, "Picasso's War". The painting is "Guernica" that Picasso created as a response to the destruction of a small town that is of the same name but at times is also spelled "Gernika". The first bit of irony I experienced while reading this wonderful book is that the tapestry hangs in The United Nations but is covered when various topics are discussed. For instance, when Secretary of State Colin Powell recently gave his presentation to The UN on Iraq the tapestry was covered, lest any television or print cameras photograph those speaking with the tapestry as a backdrop. So firstly there is this internationally renowned anti-war symbol hung in a building that rarely averts violence or acts quickly to prevent the spread of violence. And then when the possibility of violence is discussed, the imaged is removed from view.

The second instance was a personal experience involving the author, for on the day he was in Spain viewing the original work that documented the bombing of a civilian population by airplanes; the city of New York was targeted by airplanes used as massive flying bombs. The events that took place in Spain that shared the sorrow of that day are amongst the most poignant in the book. The similarity of events also made relevant once again a quote of Picasso's, "War's end, but hostilities endure forever".

The decisions and events that lead to the targeting of a civilian population in a manner that at times bordered on sport are repulsive, but are also familiar as they were repeated so many times in the 20th Century, and virtually every other century one may care to examine. Picasso managed to place on a massive canvas images that are horrible, but in a manner that is unique and that has made the image one that has been adopted for human cruelty around the world.

Author Russell Martin has created a well crafted book that is a work of History, Politics, Art, and Sociology. It is an extremely readable book for anyone interested in 20th Century events. You don't need to be an admirer of Picasso, you can even dislike his work and it will have little impact on how much you will enjoy this book. For what the author has done is to take what has become an icon for a variety of tragic and shameful human behaviors, and trace it from it's origins to the controversial location where it resides today. Nothing about Picasso's massive work is without controversy, except for the people who stand in endless lines to view it, almost everyone else involved in its custodianship since Picasso's death has little to be proud of and much to account for.

War often can be distilled down to one group coveting that which another has, and then using escalating levels of violence to make it their own. Picasso created a documentary of the result of these human failings, and had he lived he would have seen how his work became yet another object for an elite few to argue over and covet, while the masses that he painted it for have waited for decades to even view what he created for them.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Flawed masterpiece 5 Mar 2004

By S. Johnson

Format:Paperback

As 'Guernica' was the painting that introduced me to the works of Picasso, I was really looking forward to this book.

And it's a convincing tale well told - with such a work of art (still) inextricably linked to international politics and war (both world and civil) Russell Martin does a competent job of placing the work into the necessary socio-political context.

The illustrations don't do the painting justice - but how can you adequately illustrate Guernica in a small book anyway? Even weighty art books about the painting stuggle with this.

It's a history of 'Guernica' as symbolic art rather than an analysis of the painting per se, whereas some fans may want to know more about the creative processes behind the production of the painting.

More 'art' and a larger format may have made this a great book, but as it stands it's certainly a good book about the trials and tribulations of a great painting.

Very readable account of art and war. 23 Feb 2009

By Ms. S. Walker

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I first picked up this book looking to reignite my old love of Picasso from my school days and was instantly captured by the first page. This book has not only allowed me to revisit my interest in art but has given me a lecture in international history, politics and society. A very readable book it will keep your attention without having to have an MA Art History. I thoroughly loved reading every page of this book and have developed a great interest in knowing more about spanish politics and history. Can anyone recommend any further reading for me??