DAVID ALFARO SIQUEIROS, ÁRBOL FLORIDO

IMAGES

FURTHER INFORMATION

Bond Latin Gallery presents this beautiful and rare painting by Mexican muralist, David Alfaro Siqueiros.

This painting is quite special as it is one of the few, beautiful and joyous paintings by the artist. Ironically, it was painted in a maximum security prison.

Siqueiros was incarcerated several times during his life for his political activism: in 1930 for his participation in a May Day demonstration, in 1940 for his alleged involvement in the attempted assassination of Leon Trotsky, and again from 1960-1964, when he was accused of leading a major student protest in Mexico City.

During this time (from 1960-1964), Siqueiros was in the maximum security, Lecumberri prison. It was here where he observed the tree in this painting, Árbol Florido.

He had painted many other paintings of this tree throughout his time in Lecumberri. Many of these earlier works were gloomy and dark without the beautiful bloom of flowers.  

At the time, Siqueiros had promised many of these paintings to his wife Angelica, however, this particular painting he gave to his friend Pablo Marentes.  Along with this painting, comes a certificate in the form of a letter from Siqueiros to Pablo Marentes asking him not to tell his wife about the gift.

View more work by David Alfaro Siqueiros.