And Picasso Painted Guernica is a fascinating account of Picasso’s life and career, with a particular focus on the painting of Guernica, Picasso’s response to the bombing of the Basque town during the Spanish Civil War.

Author Alain Serres skilfully tells the story of Picasso’s life and career using clean and simple text, while managing to convey complex political events and a deep appreciation of Picasso’s work. The text is accompanied by colour reproductions of Picasso’s paintings, introducing the reader to the development of Picasso’s style and a wide variety of his work.

Guernica shows the tragedy of war and the suffering of the civilians who were unjustly injured or perished in the attack. Serres takes the reader through every stage of the painting, from early drawings and studies, to selected and poignant highlights from the final (and very large) mural.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It is sensitive, detailed, and beautiful to look at. Readers from ten years to adults will find much to contemplate in its pages, whether they are interested in art, history or simply one man’s peaceful ideals.