Allegory of California Diego Rivera Buy Art Prints Now
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by
Tom Gurney BSc (Hons) is an art history expert with over 20 years experience
Published on June 19, 2020 / Updated on October 14, 2023
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The Allegory of California by Diego Rivera was created between 1930 and 1931. This portrait was done on a wall that spans through the 10th and 11th flow respectively.

This wall was given to Diego by Michael Goodman were the later did like how it looked as it had European architecture. and it was the known Diego wanted to show his art and what he thinks of California that is why he used a painting of a woman.

Why Diego painted the allegory of California

Diego Rivera has always viewed California as a place than offer every good thing in the world. That is why in this portrait he used a woman goddess as the main art and she is giving out farm produce the woman art shows that California is rich both in earth and humanity. The portrait is for a woman popularly known as Helen Wills Moody who was the then unbeatable tennis player. The woman got blue eyes that shows how focused she is by them looking directly ahead. On the woman neck she got a necklace made from wheat that symbolises how fertile California is.

Then on one side she is holding the farm produce including wheat and fruits and on the other side her hand are seen picking something from the ground showing that the workers who represent the people of California working hard to get what they want. It reveals that the workers toil to get their own minerals for their industries. The background was painted the great industries of San Francisco including the shipping companies; the equipment’s used in gold searching and the great Richmond and oil refinery company.

Planning and material used

This painting was diligently planned and Diego wanted it in a place that will be seen and also give the people a clear picture of the wealthiest of California. There is use of bright colours to symbolise how California is great and inviting, using of different texture to and symbols like fruits and minerals to show how hard working the people are. He also used brushes and paints to bring a clear picture of California. it got some symbols of that Diego Rivera has used in all the San Francisco frescoes he did. The alarm gauge and humanoid exhaust. The first symbol shows that capitalism will actually destroy the progress of a place and the later symbolizing how a place can mechanically fascinate. This is Allegory of California by Diego Rivera found in the exchange tower of san Francisco.