The Flower Carrier is an oil based painting on masonite by the legendary Mexican painter Diego Rivera that was created in 1935. The painting illustrates a peasant who appears to be male attempting to carry a large basketball of pink, purple and red flowers, he's being helped by a woman who appears to be bigger that the peasant. Both of their faces are not completely distinguishable and only the peasant's mouth and nose are shown and the woman's face is shown at an angle where you can see her eyes, nose and mouth. The contrast between the colors in background and focal point of the painting is quite distinguishable. The background consists of dark green leaves and a dark brown ground, so the colors alone provide perspective and contrast when compared to the rest of painting, which has more vibrant colors. The peasant is wearing canvas colored clothing and sandals with a straw colored hat and he is being weighed down by the colorful basket of flowers that appears to be twice the size of the peasant. The woman is wearing a purple top with a dark orange skirt that covers her feet. There is an element of motion in the painting that is a result of the shadows on the yellow sling that illustrates the tension between the man's chest and the basket. One can interpret this painting to signify many things, but it certainly tells a story that can induce different perspectives (depending on who you are) on how life was and still is in small towns in Mexico. To me it symbolizes the strength and will of a man to make a living and the unconditional support of a woman who is likely related to him. "Some believe that the enormous basket strapped to the man's back is representative of the encumbrances of an untrained worker in a modern, capitalistic world." (DiegoRivera.org, 2010) The Flower Carrier is not as elaborate and detailed as other famous paintings, but the contrast between colors and the story that their bodies tell make it a powerful piece of art.
- Why is there such a size discrepancy between man, basket and woman in the painting?
- Is the man about to start carrying the basket of flowers or has he finished carrying the basket and is being helped unload the flowers by the woman?
- Why are the flowers so much more colorful than anything else in the painting, does it symbolize anything to you?
Links to articles about The Flower Carrier and Diego Rivera.
No comments:
Post a Comment