DIEGO RIVERA "The Factory Lives and Breathes"

Rivera makes the factory look full of life, with his depiction of the production line on the north wall. The scene is huge, at 75 feet long by 17 feet high, and the sense of movement guides the viewer through the scene as if they are on a conveyor belt. The line of workers (detail above) gives a sense of rythmic movement, back and forth. It also conveys the comraderie of the workers and a palpable harmony between worker and machine. In the visual center of the panel (Rivera is said to have used the Golden Mean - an ideal ratio of thirds), sits the furnace. This is the hub of the factory, the heart of the beast. Rivera designed the furnace in this specific location on the wall because he wanted it to glow when afternoon sunlight hits that exact spot. Guiding the eye to the furnace are two rows of spindles which purposefully appear as ancient Toltec guardian figures. Through this visual, Rivera wanted to connect the pre-industrial age with the modern era of science.