What you are looking at
A huge black, white and gray scene of chaos: a mother screams over her dead child, a horse shrieks with a wound in its side, a bull stands over them, a lamp blazes from above and bodies lie broken on the floor.
Why it is famous
Picasso painted it in a few weeks in 1937 after German and Italian planes bombed the Basque town of Guernica on 26 April 1937, during the Spanish Civil War. It was shown in the Spanish Republic's pavilion at the Paris World's Fair that year. Picasso did not want it in Spain until democracy returned; it spent decades at MoMA in New York and went to Madrid in 1981.
How big is Guernica?
Guernica measures 349 × 776 cm (137.4 × 305.5 in), without its frame. Its surface is about 64 times the area of the Mona Lisa.
Compare it with other paintings
Where to see it
It is in the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid, a short walk from the Prado, so you can see both in one day.
Museums move and lend paintings. Check the museum's website before you travel to see one work. See all famous paintings in Madrid.
More by Pablo Picasso
The Old GuitaristPablo Picasso, 1903 to 1904 Chicago
Les Demoiselles d'AvignonPablo Picasso, 1907 New YorkFrequently asked questions
Who painted Guernica?
Pablo Picasso painted Guernica in 1937.
Where is Guernica?
Guernica is in the Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain.
How big is Guernica?
349 × 776 cm (137.4 × 305.5 in). Its surface is about 64 times the area of the Mona Lisa.
What is Guernica made with?
Oil on canvas.
Sources: Wikidata Q175036; Wikipedia, "Guernica". Checked October 17, 2026. How we check.