Diego Rivera
1886-1957
Related Core Content AH-06-2.4.1
Program of Studies/Skills and Concepts: AH-6-HA-S-VA1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Program of Studies/Understandings: AH-6-HA-U-1, 2, 3
Related Core Content: AH-06-3.4.1
Program of Studies/Skills and Concepts: AH-6-PCA-S-VA1, 2
Program of Studies/Understandings: AH-6-PCA-U-1,2,3
Production of Visual Arts Department; South Laurel Middle School; London, KY
Diego Rivera
•Prominent Mexican painter
•Revolutionary outlook;
active socialist
•Frequently used political
themes
•Established the Mexican
Mural Renaissance
Early Life of Diego Rivera
 Born to wealthy family in Mexico
 Showed early promise as an artist
 Entered San Carlos School of Fine Arts in
Mexico City at age 11 (most began at age of
16)
 Expelled after taking part in student protest
 Continued art study in Madrid, Spain.
 Decided he did not like Spanish style
 Went to Paris to study in 1909
Diego Rivera as a Young Man
 Returned to the San Carlos School
of Fine Arts in 1910 (age 24), the
same school that expelled him, to
be part of a celebration
 Sold 38 of 40 paintings he brought
with him
 The paintings depicted suffering:
hunger, poverty, oppression
Zapatista Landscape: The Guerilla
•What do you
representational
objects do you see
within the Cubist
handling of subject
matter ?
•What contrast do
you see in terms of
subject matter?
Rivera Becomes a Mural Painter
 Mural: A painting
applied directly to a
wall, large in scale.
 Painted for Ministry
of Public Education
about social life
 Fresco: Art of
painting into wet
plaster
Ministry of Public Education
 124 frescoes
 Three stories high
 Two blocks long
 One block wide
Process that Rivera followed
 Planning
 Pencil sketches of
each scene (done in
studio)
 Enlarge to final size
on the wall
 Painting into fresh wet
plaster
 Painting quickly
(plaster dries in 6-12
hours)
Mural in the National Palace in Mexico
City: History of Mexico
Subject Matter of Diego’s Work
 Diego’s work were about
people in history
 People in a certain social
class
 People united by a
common cause or problem
 This painting is “Night of
the Rich”. What opinion
do you think Diego seems
to be expressing?
Diego in America
 Fascinated with machinery
and engineering in America
 Painted mural about
wonders of modern
machines at Detroit’s
Institute of the Arts
Sometimes there was controversy
•Rivera asked to paint mural at Rockefeller Center in
New York City
•He was asked to depict social, political, industrial and
scientific possibilities of the 20th century
•He did so but painted Communist Leader Lenin leading
American workers in demonstration
•This painting created so much controversy it was
removed from the wall
•Rivera’s political beliefs and depiction of them in his
work frequently led to outcry
What purpose(s) in art do you feel
Diego Rivera’s work served?
•Functional
•Artistic Expression
•Persuasive
•Narrative
•Ceremonial
Diego Rivera influenced WPA in
America
•Franklin Roosevelt established Works Progress Administration in
order to put Americans back to work after the great Depression of
the 1930’s.
•A program to put artists to work was suggested to Roosevelt by an
advisor who had studied under Rivera
•The Public Works Art Project of 1935 put artists to work painting
murals (scenes of American life) on the walls of public buildings.
•This Public Works Art Project was the inspiration behind WPA
which put millions to work doing various public work projects
throughout the country. Do you know of buildings built in your
hometown during this period?
The Federal Art Project
•Gave 5000 artists work.
•Produced over 225,000 artworks for the American
public.
•Influenced many of these artists to follow Rivera’s
footsteps in “looking out for the common man”.
•Many of the artists went on to become famous in
their own right. Rothko, DeKooning and Pollack
are three of those artists.
Discuss COMPLETELY, using
complete sentences.
•Where do you see rhythm and
repetition?
Describe at least five instances.
•What kind of balance does this
painting have? Explain why.
•Where is the focal point? How is
the focal point emphasized?
•Where do you see the greatest
amount of contrast? Why do you
think the greatest contrast is in
this point?
•What pathway does the eye
follow in viewing this painting?
The Flower Seller by Diego Rivera
La Pinata by Diego Rivera
Discuss COMPLETELY
using complete
sentences:
1. Where is rhythm and
repetition found in this
painting? Describe
each instance you find
(at LEAST five).
2. Are the colors used
mostly warm or cool
colors? Where do you
see these colors?
3. Where is the focal
point? How has the
artist directed our
attention there?