Pablo Picasso created The Charnel House in 1945: Unquestionably one of his most blatantly politically motivated paintings since Guernica (1937). However, whereas Guernica was more obtuse the Charnel House referred to a much more specific war horror story. The Charnel House was based on the murder of an entire family of Spanish Republicans in Paris whilst they ate in their kitchen: A place which in Spanish culture brings families together as much as it does feed them.

Many of Picasso’s good friends as well as several associates were killed in France during the war. As a patriot Picasso viewed this as losing family. Picasso has chosen to paint the scene in monochrome - grisaille – as he did Guernica. This gives the oil painting a ‘newspaper’ feel: As if it had been printed in a national newspaper – And indeed, there seems no doubt that Picasso wanted the world the ‘read’ this story: The artist would often remove color and use monochrome whenever he was making a historical report on events he felt passionately about.

Thankfully despite Picasso’s degenerate style (as dubbed by the Nazis) he was not persecuted by them while he stayed in Paris during the occupation: Largely due to his world renowned fame. It is believed that despite the Nazi bribes offered to of coal to warm him up (to the cause) Picasso refused them stating ‘a Spaniard is never cold’. This is unquestionably one of Picasso most poignant works of art and an absolute must have for admirers of his life and works.