The Hands of Doctor Moore by Diego RiveraThis piece was a request from the wife of Dr. Moore. Many people suspect that this commission was also a way for Diego to process the loss of his ex-wife Frida Kohla, as this piece is stylistically distinct from his others due to the use of elements Frida would use in her own paintings. The banner at the bottom of the painting refers to the tree in the middle as "the tree of life", and is a reference to the female body, with the cells on the branches showing how the female body is able to create life. The tree is also a representation of Frida herself. The doctor operating on the tree is a reference to the numerous operations Frida underwent during her life. Diego made sure not to show the face of the doctor, rather choosing to show only his hands. This emphasizes the importance of doctoral work, and how the operations that doctor's partake in are the key to extending life itself, (as shown by trimming the tree to foster its growth). Despite the extension of life doctors can grant, no life goes on forever. Frida's death is also represented through the shaved off portion of the tree’s roots, alluding to how her cause of death, pulmonary embolism, originally starts in the legs. This painting serves as a way for Diego to acknowledge the important work that Doctor Moore has dedicated his life to, as well as to honor the life of Frida.
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February 2020
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