12 scandalous paintings by Diego Rivera, around which controversy continues to this day

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Diego Rivera is one of the pioneers of Mexican muralism, famous for his realistic frescoes and vivid paintings. He was passionate about painting since childhood and began his art studies at the Mexican Academy of San Carlos when he was only ten years old. He migrated to Europe in 1907, and Theodore A. Dehesa Mendes, governor of the Mexican state of Veracruz, sponsored his research there.

He initially stayed in Spain and gradually moved to France, where he had the privilege of living and working with many distinguished personalities. It was in Paris that he encountered the Cubist movement led by renowned artists such as Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso and Juan Gris. He adopted this new art form between 1913 and 1917, after which his attention turned to post-impressionism, inspired by Paul Cézanne.

His artistic contributions to art history were appreciated all over the world and exhibited in various exhibitions around the world, and his paintings were spontaneous, as Diego once said: “I paint what I see, I paint what I paint and I paint what think . He also excelled in his personal life. Rivera married several times, one of his wives was the famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, with whom he entered into a marriage bond in 1929. Their wedding went through many upheavals, and after a divorce in 1939, they remarried in 1940, remaining a couple until Frida's death. Rivera died at the age of seventy due to heart failure, leaving behind a rich artistic legacy that is appreciated around the world to this day.

1. Street in Avila

This is perhaps one of Rivera's most popular landscape paintings, where the use of vibrant colors, especially when depicting trees, goes beyond the scope of this work to a completely different level.

2. Nude with lilies

It is worth noting the fact that this painting has another, alternative name "Desnudo con alcatraces", and the work itself is one of the most popular wall paintings by Diego Rivera, where he continues to celebrate the relationship of peasants with nature. Lilies, which symbolize sensuality, have been beautifully depicted in this work of art, reflecting and emphasizing the author's idea.

3. Day of the Dead

"Day of the Dead" is one of the most significant holidays in Mexico, where people remember their loved ones who have passed to another world. Rivera was part of the Mexican Muralist Movement, and on his return to Mexico in 1921, he decided to create realistic frescoes dedicated to the country's holidays, this work of art is one of them. This fresco, which hints at a kind of celebration, was instrumental in setting the trend for the inclusion of Day of the Dead as a significant subject in the visual arts.

4. A man at a crossroads

There was a lot of controversy regarding this painting, which was first installed in the lobby of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Initially, the artist received the approval of the Rockefeller family, but controversy and disagreement arose after the portrait of Vladimir Lenin next to the May Day parade was installed and included in the exhibition. The then director of the Rockefeller Center, Nelson Rockefeller, asked Rivera to remove the image, but he refused. Therefore, this work was removed, and another fresco by Josep Maria Serta was replaced after three years. The original work existed only as black and white paintings, after which Rivera repainted this work, calling it a human regulator of the universe, which was similar to the original with the exception of a few changes.

5. Watermelons

Watermelons have a symbolic meaning in the Mexican holiday of Day of the Dead, designed to perpetuate the memory of the deceased. Diego Rivera's wife presented a still life depicting this berry just eight days before her death. Perhaps Rivera painted this picture in memory of his better half and accidentally died a few days after that. Although the meaning of the watermelon is not entirely clear, the vivid use of colors gives it a realistic look.

6. Portrait of Ignacio Sanchez

This quivering piece of art perfectly illustrates Rivera's ability to paint people he saw regularly. Simple yet elegant style, with minimal use of colors, perfectly accentuates the portrait features and character of his character. There is innocence on the little boy's face when he looks contentedly. The gesture he forms by squeezing his hands and the wise look in his eyes suggests that he is more mature than his age, and the large hat almost covers his face, while his outfit indicates that he can at any time join your parents in the field. Through this painting, Rivera's penchant for portraying the life of peasants and their struggle to survive was reflected.

7. Motherhood - Angelina and child

Rivera was part of the avant-garde movement of Cubism, which is reflected in many of his works, including this one. The painting shows the cubist technique of analyzing objects, breaking them up and abstractly assembling them. Based on Rivera's personal life, the painting shows his common-law wife Angelina Beloff and their son Diego, who left the mortal world a few months after his birth after contracting the flu.

8. Dream of a Sunday in Alameda Park

Carlos Obregón Santasilia, a renowned Mexican architect, asked Rivera to paint this painting for the Hotel Del Prado's Versailles restaurant. However, after the 1985 earthquake that struck the city of Mexico City, the hotel was destroyed and the mural was preserved in the Diego Rivera Fresco Museum. The subject of the painting is the conflict between the bourgeois class after the Mexican Revolution of 1910. He takes Alameda Central Park as his main backdrop, which featured many prominent personalities such as his wife Frida Kahlo, La Malinche, José Martí and Winfield Scott.

9. Flower carrier

It is simple in appearance, but carries a lot of symbolism depicting the turmoil and bustle in the life of the peasant class, a common theme seen in many of his works. The peasant appears to be struggling to manage a large basket of flowers, with his wife helping him in this task. Flowers are amazing, but the person carrying them cannot cherish their beauty, as for him it is just a mundane object of a deal. According to some critics, the large basket resting on the back of a worker supposedly hints at obstacles that an untrained worker might face in the capitalist world.

10. Peasants

Another interesting peasant painting by Rivera, where you can see how a person works hard while another person watches. The beautiful landscape, created through the vivid use of colors, is in stark contrast to the person in the frame doing their best to complete the task.

11. Sailor at breakfast

Another Cubist painting by Rivera symbolizes the growing wave of the French nationalist movement. Following the technique of cubism, he creates a geometrical version of a sailor who sits at a wooden table in a cafe, indulging in a drink. The word "patriot" inscribed on his uniform is a hint of loyalty and patriotism.

12. Tenochtitlan Market

Founded by the Aztecs, it has grown into a thriving city and Rivera makes a wonderful presentation of the market scene through this painting. The work shows that the workers are working hard, but does not hint at Aztec imperialism. At that time, slavery reached its peak and people were sold as other goods, although there is no hint of the same here.

Other notable paintings by Rivera include Morning of Avila (1908), Sunflowers, Murals of Detroit Industries (1932-33, consisting of twenty-seven panels), History of Mexico (1929-35, located in the stairwell of Mexico City's National Palace), and, of course, the work "House on the Bridge". Rivera has been the subject of several cinematic (Cradle Will Rock and Frida) and literary presentations. His wife Frida Kahlo also designed it in one of her paintings in 1931, two years after their marriage, which was also considered their wedding portrait.

Continuing the theme - that turned the idea of beauty upside down.