Copalli 1937

Diego Rivera made this painting, Copalli, with oil on canvas. It has these tree trunks that twist and reach, their cut branches against a pale blue sky reminding me of a child's drawing, kinda simple but strong. I wonder what Rivera was thinking about when he made this? Maybe how nature keeps going, even when it's been chopped back. The trunks have a smooth, almost skin-like texture, contrasting with the rough, blocky mountains at the base. Rivera used a thin wash of paint, letting the canvas breathe. See how the colors blend softly, creating a dreamlike quality? It reminds me of some landscapes by early Renaissance artists. There is something about the composition and the treatment of light that feels timeless, like Rivera was in conversation with painters from centuries ago, each of them trying to capture something essential about the world around them. Ultimately, it all comes down to an ongoing exchange of ideas, inspiring new ways of seeing.