Diego Rivera Hotel del Prado Mural

 


Diego Rivera was a fantastic Mexican artist.  His wife Frida Kahlo was not only an interesting person, but an accomplished artist.  He was originally commissioned to paint this mural for the Hotel del Prado in Mexico City.  It was later moved to a dedicated museum in the city where it is on display today.  The mural tells a story.  I could spend all day just studying it and finding inconspicuous detail.  He depicts the history of Mexico.  His ability to capture in paint the entire spectrum of failure and triumph in Mexico's fight for independence and freedom is spectacular.  Seeing the expressions on the various character's faces from the little boy in poverty robbing the rich man, to the dog barking at the lady in the foreground, bring the mural alive.  In the center, holding hands with the skeleton bride is a little boy.  Diego Rivera paints himself as a child.  Standing behind him is his wife Frieda Kahlo.

Here she holds the Chinese symbol Yin and Yang representing the two complimentary but opposing forces.  


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