Diego Rivera stands as a monumental figure in the realm of 20th-century art, his prolific career spanning five decades from 1907 to 1957. Born in Mexico, Rivera’s artistic journey took him through Europe and the United States before bringing him back to his native Mexico City. While his early works explored Cubism and later Post-Impressionism, Rivera ultimately forged a distinctive style that is instantly recognizable. A committed Marxist and member of the Mexican Communist Party from 1922, Rivera’s life was intertwined with political activism. He even provided refuge to Leon Trotsky and his wife in his Mexico City home during the 1930s. Living through tumultuous times, Diego Rivera, known for his Marxist beliefs, has, like revolutionary figures such as Che Guevara, become a countercultural icon of the 20th century, leaving behind an artistic legacy that continues to captivate and inspire. For those seeking to engage with his powerful vision, exploring Diego Rivera Prints offers a tangible connection to his artistic genius.
Diego Rivera’s Formative Years: 1886-1915
Born in Guanajuato, Mexico, in 1886, Diego Rivera and his twin brother entered the world. Tragedy struck early as his twin brother passed away at the age of two, prompting the family’s move to Mexico City. Recognizing and nurturing Diego’s artistic inclinations, his parents enrolled him in the San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts at approximately twelve years old. There, he immersed himself in the traditional techniques of painting and sculpting under the guidance of a largely conservative faculty. Among his peers at the academy was Gerardo Murillo, who would later become a leading figure in the Mexican Mural Movement of the early 20th century, a movement in which Rivera would play a significant role. In 1905, Rivera and Murillo, along with other emerging artists, participated in an exhibition organized by the editors of Savia Moderna magazine, marking an early step in their public artistic careers.
Rivera concluded his studies in 1905, and the subsequent year saw him exhibiting over two dozen paintings at the annual San Carlos Academy art show. “La Era,” or “The Threshing,” a piece from this period, reveals Impressionistic influences through its manipulation of light and shadow and Rivera’s characteristic use of color palettes.
In 1907, Rivera’s artistic promise was further recognized with a government grant to study in Europe. Madrid became his first destination, where he studied under the Realist painter Eduardo Chicharro Aguera at the San Fernando Royal Academy. During this time in Madrid, Rivera produced works such as “Night Scene in Avila,” which demonstrates a blend of Realism and Impressionism. His time at the Prado Museum in Madrid exposed him to the masterpieces of Spanish artists like El Greco, Francisco Goya, and Diego Velazquez, all of whom would leave an imprint on his artistic development. These early influences, visible even in Diego Rivera prints of his early works, lay the foundation for his future style.
From Madrid, Rivera transitioned to Paris, where he spent intermittent periods among a community of avant-garde émigré artists. This circle included figures like Piet Mondrian, Modigliani, and Neo-Impressionist Georges Seurat. Rivera showcased six paintings at the 1910 Société des Artistes Indépendants exhibit in Paris, including “Head of a Breton Woman,” a realistic portrait. Other pieces created during this period, such as “Breton Girl” and “House Over the Bridge,” showcase an Impressionistic emphasis on the transformative effects of light.
Following a brief return to Mexico, Rivera’s style underwent a notable transformation towards Cubism upon his return to Paris. Cubism was at its peak in Europe during the second decade of the 20th century, with artists seeking to represent multiple perspectives of a subject through geometric forms and intersecting planes. Influenced by Pablo Picasso and the recently deceased Paul Cezanne, Rivera’s paintings became increasingly abstract. “View of Toledo” from 1912 still incorporates recognizable architectural forms alongside Cubist elements in the landscape, while “Portrait of Oscar Miestchaninoff” from the following year clearly illustrates the growing Cubist influence on Rivera’s artistic language.
By 1913, Rivera had fully embraced Cubism in his artistic expression, as seen in works like “Woman at a Well” and “Sailor at Breakfast.” He submitted works to the Salon d’Automne exhibit, a venue where artists like Picasso, Marcel Duchamp, and Andre Lhote had previously displayed their work, drawing both criticism and acclaim from the art world. Even in the abstract forms of his Cubist period, the seeds of Rivera’s unique artistic voice, which would later resonate in Diego Rivera prints, were beginning to take shape.
Diego Rivera’s Mature Period: 1916-1928
“Motherhood: Angelina and the Child” from 1916 marks a transition point, being among Rivera’s last purely Cubist works. His artistic path shifted as he began to engage with contemporary political events such as the Mexican Revolution and the Russian Revolution of 1917, bringing his ideological viewpoints into his art.
His paintings started to feature the working class combined with elements of his Mexican heritage. A trip to Italy in 1920 sparked his fascination with Renaissance frescoes, and upon his return to Mexico the following year, he became deeply involved in mural painting. This period saw the emergence of the artistic style most readily associated with Diego Rivera prints today.
Rivera joined a collective of artists, including muralist Jose Clemente Orozco and Mexican realist David Alfaro Siqueiros, in a government-sponsored mural program. Rivera’s first foray into this medium, “Creation,” painted on a wall in the National Preparatory School auditorium in Mexico City, depicts a heavenly host with Renaissance-style halos.
During this initial year back in Mexico, Rivera also became a member of the Mexican Communist Society. He co-founded the Revolutionary Union of Technical Workers, Painters and Sculptors. Later in 1922, he commenced work on a series of frescoes focusing on Mexican society and the country’s revolutionary past, titled “Ballad of the Proletarian Revolution.” This ambitious project, which he would continue until 1928, eventually comprised over 120 frescoes covering more than 5,200 square feet in Mexico City’s Secretariat of Public Education building.
By his thirties, Diego Rivera’s mature painting style had solidified, characterized by large figures with simplified lines and vibrant colors. Many of his scenes depicted the lives and stories of workers – miners, farmers, industrial laborers, and peasants. Paintings such as “Flower Carrier” and “Flower Vendor” are among his most celebrated. Some frescoes portrayed festivals, such as “The Day of the Dead” and “The Maize Festival” from 1924. Around this time, Rivera began a mural for the National School of Agriculture in Chapingo, Mexico, titled “The Liberated Earth with Natural Forces Controlled by Man.” The powerful imagery and social commentary inherent in these murals are often reflected in Diego Rivera prints, allowing for wider appreciation.
Rivera articulated his artistic philosophy: “When art is true, it is one with nature. This is the secret of primitive art and also of the art of the masters – Michelangelo, Cézanne, and Renoir. The secret of my best work is that it is Mexican…”
Diego Rivera’s Later Career: 1927-1957
In 1927, Rivera participated in a delegation to the Soviet Union to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the October Revolution. During his time in Moscow, Rivera met Alfred H. Barr, Jr., who would become a friend, patron, and the future director of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Upon returning to Mexico City, Rivera divorced Lupe Marin, his first wife, and married fellow Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. He also embarked on a commissioned series of murals for the Palace of Cortez in Cuernavaca.
Rivera’s reputation extended into North America, particularly after “The Frescoes of Diego Rivera” was published in New York City. American architect Timothy Pflueger invited Rivera to San Francisco, offering him several commissions. Rivera’s visit to California coincided with the first major exhibition of his work in the United States. The accessibility of his art through exhibitions and publications further fueled interest in Diego Rivera prints and reproductions.
Between 1930 and 1931, Rivera completed three murals in San Francisco. One, located in the Pacific Stock Exchange building, is “The Allegory of California,” featuring an oversized female figure representing California and various workers engaged in their trades. “The Making of a Fresco Showing the Building of a City” is the mural he created for the San Francisco School of Fine Arts, depicting an open building with rooms filled with people at work. His third mural, “Pan American Unity,” now housed in San Francisco’s Diego Rivera Theater, is a monumental work comprised of five frescoes.
In 1932, Rivera and Kahlo traveled east to Detroit for a commission at the Detroit Institute of Arts. There, he created 27 panels collectively known as the “Detroit Industry Murals,” illustrating the evolution of the Ford Motor Company. Rivera considered this series, completed in 1933 with the assistance of others, to be among his most successful endeavors.
His subsequent project proved to be his most infamous setback. Commissioned to paint a mural for Rockefeller Center in New York, Rivera began work on “Man at the Crossroads.” The central fresco featured a figure at a crossroads, surrounded by scenes from science, industry, politics, and history. Statues of Jupiter and Caesar were prominently placed. However, the Rockefellers objected to the inclusion of Lenin in the mural. When Rivera refused to remove Lenin, they halted the project and ultimately destroyed the mural. Rivera later recreated the composition on a smaller scale in the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City, using photographs as reference. Despite this controversy, the enduring appeal of Rivera’s vision ensured that even fragments and studies related to this mural became sought after, contributing to the desirability of Diego Rivera prints representing various stages of his work.
He returned to San Francisco to paint ten murals for the Golden Gate International Exposition of 1940 and subsequently fulfilled various commissions in Mexico in the following years. In 1949, Mexico City’s Museum of the Palace of Fine Arts hosted an anniversary exhibition celebrating 50 years of Rivera’s artistic career.
Frida Kahlo passed away in 1954. The following year, Rivera married Emma Hurtado, his third wife. A year later, Mexico honored Rivera’s 70th birthday nationwide. Diego Rivera died of heart disease in 1957.
Diego Rivera’s Lasting Impact on Art
Similar to Van Gogh’s influence on Impressionism, Diego Rivera’s impact on Mexican art is immeasurable. He remained a pivotal figure in the development of Mexican national art throughout his life. Perhaps one of his most significant legacies is his influence on the American understanding of public art. By depicting scenes of American life on public buildings, Rivera provided the initial inspiration for Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s WPA program. Many of the hundreds of American artists employed by the WPA continued to address sociopolitical themes first publicly explored by Rivera. His distinctive artistic style and the power of his ideas continue to be major influences on American painting. For those seeking to own a piece of this legacy, Diego Rivera prints offer an accessible way to appreciate the enduring power and beauty of his artistic vision.
