Still Life with an Apple

Educated in Mexico City, Diego Rivera also studied art in Madrid and Paris. The simplified forms and juxtaposition of everyday objects in this carefully rendered still life reflect his encounter in Paris during the second decade of the 20th century with the emerging Cubist movement. This artistic foundation would ultimately contribute to the bold style he developed as a leader of the Mexican Mural Renaissance. Rivera’s Communist affiliations were a cause of friction for him in the United States, especially during the McCarthy era. Nevertheless, he completed many commissions here, most notably murals in San Francisco, Detroit, and New York.