New York, February 5 – Famed Spanish painter Pablo Picasso’s Guernica tapestry, which depicts war’s atrocities, was returned to the United Nations headquarters by the Rockefeller family and re-hung at its berth outside of the UN Security Council chamber where diplomats usually hold press stakeouts with international media.
The 25-foot iconic tapestry was re-installed with little notice by a crew of workers one year after it was removed. The Rockefeller family, which has been the steward of the tapestry, lend it to the UN three decades ago. Picasso painted the anti-war artwork during the Spanish Civil War in 1937.
“I am delighted and deeply grateful, along with my family, for the careful stewardship the Secretary-General and the broader United Nations team has provided for the Guernica tapestry,” Nelson A. Rockefeller, Jr., said in a statement. “The Guernica tapestry with its probing symbolism – its depiction of horrific aspects of human nature – wrestles with the cruelty, darkness, and also a seed of hope within humanity.The Guernica tapestry is meant to be experienced and interpreted, with Picasso refusing to share its message when asked. I am grateful that the tapestry will be able to continue to reach a broader segment of the world’s population and magnify its ability to touch lives and educate.”