A study on selected paintings on the theme of war by Otto Dix, Pablo Picasso, Leon Golub and Fernando Botero

Pictures focusing on wars that have led to widespread disruptions in the history of mankind have been analysed in this study both in terms of art history and the pictures? link with social history, artists? personal attitudes towards wars of recent history, how artists related to the historic period they witnessed in their work and the arguments their works of art created.Art history proves that a great many artists were not indifferent to the social traumas experienced; on the contrary, they were productively fed by the traumas. In this context, most artists went beyond their periods and established these traumas as phenomena. Such leading artists as Otto Dix, Pablo Picasso, Leon Golub and Fernando Botero carved out a niche for themselves in art history during and after wars of recent history through their attitudes. The relationship between the phenomenon of war and production of art is conceptualized under the title of ?Art in Period of War? in terms of artists? maturing their views of art and life. A series of works of art that presented the power of creating deep effects in the social perception of art are examined. The study also attempts to re-examine the possibilities emanating from the historical accumulation of art at a time when human civilization is still unable to move out of the vicious circle of war and violence.This study does not include all the works by Otto Dix, Pablo Picasso, Leon Golub and Fernando Botero. It focuses on the works of the afore-mentioned artists? works dealing with the phenomenon of war and is confined to the most controversial works of the artists mentioned above.Key Words: War, Art, Reality, Social Trauma.