Diego Rivera is a great mural painter who went down in history as a macho and Frida's husband

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

It is difficult to imagine the most colorful and opposing couple in the history of art of the last century than the Mexicans. Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera … Frida, who during her lifetime did not have even a tenth of her husband's popularity, unexpectedly became a world famous artist, whose surreal self-portraits are now recognized by everyone. But the once unattainable master got the role of a "companion character" from her biography - a kind of loving macho with a very colorful appearance. And not everyone remembers how.

Twenty-five years ago, it seemed that the fame of the Mexican muralist painter could not be matched by the modest popularity of his wife, the artist Frida Kahlo. However, a fragile and temperamental woman was never in the shadow of the famous Mexican.

Rivera was a genius master of large forms, a muralist, the godfather of today's street art. Frida preferred small forms and was one of the most famous Art Nouveau masters of the 20th century. In artistic terms, this couple of painters had an incredible influence on each other's work, despite the fact that their life together was full of drama.

The whole joint path of the two legendary artists was imbued with the spirit of struggle and rivalry. It was expressed in creativity, and in political views, and in relation to free love, when the second defiantly responded to the adultery of one with two. But only Rivera remained a recognized artist in this extravagant family during their lifetime, and Frida could not do anything about it, no matter how much she tried. Her husband's success blocked her path to her own career.

However, over time, there was a reassessment of values, and this hierarchy turned upside down. Frida "outperformed" her husband in terms of international recognition - femininity in this case won "machismo".

Rivalry of paintings by Diego and Frida at the auction

More than 60 years have passed since their death, but they are still rivals in art. But now their paintings are already competing. So, in May 2016, Diego Rivera's painting became the most expensive work of a Latin American artist. The painting "Dance in Tehuantepec" was sold for $ 15, 75 million (Baile en Tehuantepec, 1928), which almost doubled the record amount set by Frida Kahlo's painting "Two Nudes in the Forest" (1939), sold on the art market a little earlier. Apparently, this is only the beginning of their confrontation at the global auction. And then there will still be.

Nowadays, many are trying to solve the mystery of a little mutilated talented woman. And the Western world was overwhelmed by a new-fangled trend called "kaloism". Feminists from different countries call her their forerunner, bisexuals admire her, surrealist artists rank her as their founders, her paintings are estimated at millions of dollars, "Frida's altars" are erected in her honor.

Perhaps now a hot Mexican woman would be delighted with such popularity and superiority, or maybe she would proudly turn away from stunning fame, because she lived with her feelings in a world where everything was real - pain, art and love for Diego.

Frida's paintings dedicated to Diego

The love story of two temperamental Mexicans was not at all ideal. Between them, an unrestrained passion burned in which anger and tenderness, betrayal and devotion, ardent love and wild jealousy were intertwined into one whole.

All her life, being next to Diego, Frida could not convey in words what she felt for her beloved. Therefore, she poured out all her feelings on her canvases. Her love screamed and cried, tormented her soul and could not get out in any way.

But for the last decade of her life, the artist kept a diary, which was written in the name of her husband and confessions coming from the depths of her soul: This entry was found on one of the last pages of the diary.

And after her death, a note was found written on a piece of paper. It was written in it that haunted her for many years:

Rivera's paintings of women and flowers

In turn, Frida for Diego was the only one who understood and accepted him completely, such as he really was. And although he was never faithful, Frida forgave him a lot, because he always returned to her. So, by marrying her a second time, Diego accepted all the conditions put forward by Frida. And when this happened, he said with relief:

And Rivera survived his "dove" for only three years, however, having managed to create another family - without love, without passion, only in order to drown out the pain and not be completely lonely. He bequeathed to bury him next to Frida. However, the new family did not fulfill his request, burying prominent figures in the Rotunda.

Returning to the creative heritage of the genius master, we can say that it is huge. These are picturesque canvases, drawings and large-scale murals-murals that adorn public buildings in several countries. But the constant interest of the audience is caused by canvases with unnaturally large snow-white calla lilies and with the image of women, whom he always adored the artist so much.

He was devoted only to his art, where he tirelessly experimented with different styles. And in the 20s of the last century he became the founder of Mexican muralism. In this style, Diego painted many public buildings in the USA and Mexico with frescoes.

Rivera's performance was enviable. He had enough time for everything - for creativity, and for social work, and for teaching. Diego was the dean of the Mexican School of Painting and actively trained national artists.

He was also a communist, and he used his art to fight. It was not for nothing that Rivera's associates called him "The fiery crusader of the brush." Through his frescoes, the artist showed hard work, the unsettled life of the people and the struggle of the Mexicans for their independence.

And also about the loving artist Diego Rivere, nicknamed "the cannibal" and "the Mexican Munchausen", had fascinating legends about his love affairs.