Pablo Picasso’s Guernica stands at the intersection of all political- and consumption-related meaning. Its quality as an art icon is undoubtedly part of collective imagery, one of the most recognisable paintings for the “public at large” in the history of art; the culmination of a myth that has been powered in highly diverse forms, by different agents, and an endless subject of study for specialists. The painting and figure of Picasso are global, proceeding from commercial uses that span advertising supports employing the image — from cars bearing its name to biscuits, to cite but a few examples, and political objects for propaganda ends, such as stickers and badges, which have been part of the painting’s dissemination from the very beginning. Not to mention the development of museums and tourism as a city’s biggest lure: in the case of Madrid, Guernica is a must-see and one of its icons.

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