One of the most renowned painters in Mexico and one of the most important in contemporary art in general. Especially remembered for the brilliant career he developed in the Mexican muralism movement, along with José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros.
who is Diego Rivera?
Identified with the revolutionary ideals of his homeland, Rivera returned from Italy to Mexico (1922), at a time when the revolution seemed consolidated. Along with David Alfaro Siqueiros, he devoted himself to studying in depth the primitive forms of Aztec art and Mayan culture, which would significantly influence his later work. In collaboration with other prominent Mexican artists of the time (such as Siqueiros himself and José Clemente Orozco), he founded the painters' union, from which the Mexican muralist movement would emerge, with deep indigenous roots.
5 fundamental works of Diego Rivera
The creation was made in 1922 by order of the then Secretary of Education of Mexico, José Vasconcelos. It is emblematic because it is the first mural developed by the artist. It is inspired by aesthetic elements taken from his experiences on a trip to Tehuantepec.
Murals of the Riveriana Chapel Diego Rivera was also in charge of decorating different spaces of the Autonomous University of Chapingo, a group of which he particularly highlighted the decoration of the so-called Riveriana Chapel, in a clear allusion to Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.
Epic of the Mexican people This work is one of the most monumental pieces by Diego Rivera. It is an immense group of murals that occupies all the walls of the staircase of the National Palace of Mexico. Its execution began in 1929 and ended in 1935. It was also commissioned by José Vasconcelos.
The man controlling the universe
This mural, also known as The Man at the Crossroads, has been one of Diego Rivera's most controversial murals. The reason for this is that, in the first place, it was created and executed for the Rockefeller Center, in the United States, a country where Rivera enjoyed some recognition.
Dream of an afternoon in the Alameda Central
This mural by Diego Rivera responded to an initiative by the Mexican architect Carlos Obregón Santacilia. It is currently located in the Diego Rivera Museum, although it was originally located in the El Prado Hotel.
In this mural, Diego Rivera portrays himself as a child while strolling through the Alameda Central in Mexico City. Throughout his journey, he is accompanied by more than a hundred key figures in Mexican history.