Lifesize Pablo Picasso Masterpiece Being Created By Chocolatiers

A LIFESIZE Pablo Picasso masterpiece has been created by Basque chocolatiers to showcase their skills and celebrate their cultural heritage.

A Lifesize replica of Pablo Picasso’s masterpiece, ‘Guernica’, is being created by a group of chocolatiers in the Basque Country, showcasing their skills and celebrating their cultural heritage. The masterpiece represents the bombing of a small Basque town in 1937.

‘Guernica’ is one of the world’s most famous paintings and Picasso’s response to the bombing, which was carried out by Nazi Germany and fascist Italy warplanes to assist the forces of Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War.

The huge cubist painting, which is showcased in the Reina Sofia art gallery in Madrid, shows the scene of harrowing human and animal figures in black and white. For many Basque citizens, Picasso’s depiction of the event forms part of their cultural history.

A group of around 40 chocolatiers from a local association called Euskal Gozogileak have been working together to produce a chocolate interpretation of ‘Guernica’ to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the bombing.

Lorena Gomez, the group’s president, said: “There is this part of suffering, this part of peace. There is a message of hope,”

“For us, it is also very emblematic of our homeland,” she continued.

The project is a technical feat because of the vast size of the painting, which is almost 3.5 metres high and 8 metres wide.

The chocolatiers have been working in an industrial kitchen in the small town of Lezo, and have created the masterpiece by making 14 separate chocolate slabs.

“We have had to match up different templates, colours and images and we had our work cut out for us,” said Ismael Sayalero, one of the chocolatiers involved. “Maybe we missed a few details but I think it turned out pretty well.”

The final piece will be shown in several locations, including in the town of Guernica.

The chocolatiers, as well as taking part in an important cultural calendar event, wanted to showcase the high level of craftsmanship their profession requires.

“Confectionery has always been the poor sister of haute cuisine,” said Gomez. “What we want is to bring the sector the recognition it deserves, like fine dining.”

Source: Majorca Daily Bulletin