Diego Rivera
Born – Guanajuato, Mexico 1886
Died – Mexico City, Mexico 1957
After studying art in Mexico and Madrid, Diego Rivera travelled to Europe and settled in Paris in 1911. Here he made contact with Picasso and contributed to Cubism, producing paintings inspired by Braque and Gris. He returned to his native country via Italy where he studied fresco paintings of the early Renaissance and ancient murals at Pompeii. In Mexico in 1921 he became an active participant in the revolutionary movement. As a member of an artist’s commune, Rivera produced mural art for the walls of ministries, hospitals, colleges and schools. After the overthrow of the regime, in between bouts of falling out of favour with the left-wing – and his wife, artist Frida Khalo – Rivera continued to receive ministry commissions to celebrate the achievements of the revolution. The mural, Court of the Inquisition, represents the Madero revolution of 1910 and the Holy Inquisition trials, which made Mexican history between 1571 and 1820. Rivera rejected the advanced techniques he had assimilated in Europe to create simple forms and bold colours that contributed to the vitality of the national spirit, being popularly regarded as art for the people.
Masterpieces:
- Workers of the Revolution
- Zapatista Landscape – The Guerrilla
Text: The A-Z of Art, Nicola Hodge and Libby Anson.
Books About diego rivera
Diego Rivera: His World and Ours
Duncan Tonatiuh
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Diego Rivera, The Complete Murals
Luis Martin Lozano
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Diego Rivera: Murals for The Museum of Modern Art
Leah Dickerman
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