Night Scene in Avila 1907

Diego Rivera made this painting, Night Scene in Avila, with oil on canvas. Look at the way Rivera applied paint in thick, expressive strokes, almost like he’s sculpting the scene rather than just depicting it. It gives you a sense of immediacy, of Rivera working through the night to capture the essence of Avila. The material aspects of the work are really striking. The texture is palpable; you can almost feel the roughness of the walls and the density of the trees. The color palette is moody, with deep blues and yellows creating a sense of nocturnal mystery. Notice the way the light seems to emanate from within the buildings, casting long shadows that stretch across the foreground. This piece is reminiscent of Van Gogh, who Rivera greatly admired. But whilst Van Gogh captured a sense of tortured inner turmoil, Rivera’s painting has a more meditative and quietly dramatic quality.