"Night of the Rich" by Diego Rivera, 1928

The Night of the Rich, by Diego Rivera, was completed during the Mexican Revolution in 1928 as a fresco. Rivera and many others saw change as progress; therefore Rivera bases his art upon Marxist theories (“Diego Rivera”). Rivera expresses his hatred towards the rich and capitalists in his paintings. Night of the Rich accompanies another painting named Night of the Poor to show how the proletariat cannot rise without a revolution.

The painting was completed on a Fresco, which was Rivera’s choice as a fresco is the easiest way to spread messages into the everyday lives of the citizens after learning Italian Renaissance art (“Diego Rivera”). Rivera’s painting displays fast, simple messages that immediately sends the audience what he tries to convey on the fresco, which is why he is known for “his ability to condense a complex historical subject down to its most essential parts” (qtd. “Diego Rivera). Rivera also uses a mix of Indian, Mexican, and Eskimo style to the painting which he believes is the true type of American Art ("Diego Rivera." The Diego Rivera Mural Project.).

Pride and Greed is placed upon the rich by Rivera. The rich are in a sense “lost” in pride and greed and capitalism is the cause of that.  The rich do not know that the proletariat is rising to take over as they are lost in their overindulgence.  The faces of the proletariat in the back are darkened but show a sign of anger and discontent.  On the banner on the painting, it reads “todos los pesos duros” which means “all of the hard money”. This message is what Rivera writes to tell the working class that all the hard, working money they work for goes to this.  This painting, out of all three, is the only one in which pride and greed is directly inscribed as a cause of evil on the art itself.

"Adam and Eve" by Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1528

Lucas Cranach the Elder was a Renaissance artist from Germany during the time of the Reformation. Cranach has completed several paintings of Adam and Eve ("Lucas Cranach the Elder biography"). The style is based in a more static fashion in which straightforward and simple drawings are produced, which contrasts his work before 1505 when his paintings were dramatic and dynamic ("Lucas Cranach the Elder biography"). Adam and Eve express the same facial emotion on the painting though Eve’s body gesture appears more confident. The serpent is hidden at the back in the darkness to show that the serpent is from the darkness or evil.
The painting was based upon Genesis 3:6 in which the serpent tempts Eve into eating the fruit of knowledge, and Eve then requests Adam to eat it also ("Lucas Cranach the Elder biography"). This action is the basis of all sins in the world and God later punishes Adam and Eve for wrongdoing through work and pain during childbirth then banishes both from the Garden of Eden (“Adam and Eve”). Adam and Eve fell into the trap of pride and greed when they wanted to become supposedly greater than God (“Adam and Eve”). Their greed and pride led to their downfall and then humankind’s, which is another example of how pride and greed worked together and caused a downfall.

"King of France and Navarre" by Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1701

This painting of King Louis XIV was originally intended to be a gift to King Phillip V of Spain; however, the painting gained so much popularity that the king decided to keep it for his own collection (Pomaréde, Vincent). The painting captured all of the king’s pride and Rigaud maybe even overemphasized his robes to give him his glory (Vincent Pomaréde). The face of the king was in fact painted on paper then posted onto the canvas later on, which explains the protrusion of the face if examined closely (Vincent Pomaréde).
King Louis XIV came to power in 1661 and became his very own chief minister (Elena Steingrad). The King was a great patron of the arts and largely encouraged it (Vincent Pomaréde). He chose the sun as his emblem, and according to Greek mythology, Apollo was the god of the sun, peace, and arts, which explains the reason for King Louis’s nickname, the sun king (Elena Steingrad). The building of the palace of Versailles was also created under his reign, which was also his most important creation as many events were hosted in that very building (Vincent Pomaréde).
King Louis XIV was rather successful during his reign for “[bringing] absolute monarchy to its height”. (qtd. Elena Steingrad). However, his pride built up and greed eventually hit the monarchs of France. During the French Revolution, King Louis XVI was and his wife Marie Antoinette became so overindulgent in all the luxuries that the citizens of France grew furious and overtook the French monarchy (David Cody). The luxury of pride and greed for power and extravagances again led to the people’s own destruction.