Diego Rivera - Mexican Hero
Born in Mexico, Diego Rivera is considered one of the
greatest Mexican painters of the twentieth century due
to the profound effect he had on the international art
world. Among his many contributions, Rivera is credited
with the reintroduction of fresco painting into modern
art and architecture. In a series of visits to America,
the artist brought his unique vision to public spaces
and galleries, inspiring artists and art lovers. Diego
Rivera was fond of propaganda. In Mexico, he painted
public murals depicting revolutionary politics, and
he attempted to convey the dream of a socialist utopia
to the people of Mexico. His work rendered him one of
Latin America's most intriguing artists.
Rise to fame
Through public art projects,
Rivera was able to introduce
his work in the everyday life
of the people. He concerned
himself primarily with the
physical process of human
development and the effects
of technological progress.
Throughout the 1920s, his
fame grew with a number of
large murals depicting scenes
from Mexican history. His
work appealed to the people’s
interests and his popularity
quickly spread.
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In America
In 1930, Rivera’s many trips to the United States
changed American painting. His first two major American
commissions were the American Stock Exchange Luncheon
Club and the California School of Fine Arts, which firmly
but subtly incorporated Rivera’s radical politics.
He believed that history could be depicted in art by
representing the struggles of the working class.
Controversy in art
In a Rockefeller commission, Rivera painted a mural
detailing a scene of a giant May Day demonstration of
workers marching with red banners. Patrons were shocked
by the portrait of Lenin leading the demonstration.
When Rivera refused to remove the portrait, he was ordered
to stop work and the painting was destroyed. Subsequently,
Rivera found it difficult to secure commissions for
murals, even in his home country. The dedication to
his cause made him a favorite among common people who
embraced ‘Diego Rivera Mexican Hero’.
Return to Mexico
When Rivera returned to Mexico, he sought to renew national
art based on revolutionary themes that would adorn public
buildings following the Mexican Revolution. He painted
murals for the Preparatory School and the Ministry of
Education in Mexico City and the Agricultural School
of Chapingo. These huge frescoes depict the realistic
lives of the Mexican people in the field of industry,
agriculture, and culture. They also reflect the often-forgotten
native people.
Diego Rivera Mexican
Hero
Diego Rivera's talent for
historical murals and his
tributes to the people made
him one of the most influential
artists in the Americas and
one of Mexico's most beloved
painters. While in Europe,
he was influenced by the paintings
of El Greco and Goya. He had
close ties with Cézanne,
Picasso, and with communistic
Russians in exile. He was
convinced that a new form
of art should respond to “the
new order of things …
and that the logical place
for this art … belonging
to the populace, was on the
walls of public buildings.”
To simple peasants and workers,
he was viewed as a prophet.
He painted numerous government
buildings in Mexico, as well
as many buildings in the United
States. Diego Rivera remained
a central force in the development
of a national art in Mexico
throughout his life, until
his death at the age of seventy.
This article was written by Betty Botis
Betty Botis is an avid art collector and fan of all Diego Rivera's art. She is also a freelance writer for Diego Rivera Prints.
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