Diego Rivera Research Paper

Diego Rivera is one of the most influential Mexican artist of the twentieth century, where his powerful and inspirational images became part of the collective language of Mexico, the dreams and spirit of the people. His work revolved around social inequality, Mexico’s rich history and the relationship between individuals and their indigenous roots. Rivera reintroduced fresco painting into modern art and architecture in the 1930’s, where his murals can be found on the walls of universities and public buildings throughout Mexico that vary from Mexico’s pre-Columbian origins, the Mexican Revolution and post-Revolutionary era from the 1920’s to 1935. He created many panoramic portrayals that reflected the daily lives and struggles of the working

36). His style varied from, cubism, Mexican muralism and Social realism, where most of the paintings and murals by Diego Rivera portrayed the culture and history of Mexico in a harmonious state before the arrival of the Spaniard in the 1500s. In his mural, “La Historia de México,” which is located in the National Palace in Mexico City, the mural focuses on Mexico’s history from the pre-Columbian era to the present. The mural itself is divided into three parts, where the North wall, El Mundo Azteca, primary focuses on the Aztec roots of Mexico, where Rivera uses a plethora of colors in order to show dynamics of the mystical ancient world. In this panel Rivera explores the culture, legends and daily lives of the Aztec people. One of the prominent feature is Quetzalcoatl flying in the sky while riding a giant serpent, where he played a major role in the Aztec world where he is regarded as the creator of mankind. Rivera also included images of the building of the great pyramids, the harvesting of maize which was a staple crop for them, weaving clothing and playing music. Diego Rivera not only celebrating the

In the mural, the viewer can also see several naguals fighting alongside the Aztecs against the Spanish like the Serpent, the jaguar, the eagle and a coyote and also shows the iconic image of the eagle with a serpent in its mouth which is still the central image that symbolizes modern-day Mexico. I think that Diego Rivera placed the eagle and serpent in the middle of this section of his mural to demonstrate Mexico’s resilience to overcome adversity which is seen in the eye of the eagle. In the mural, there are Spanish soldiers who are raping indigenous women and shows how the Aztec people were forced to assimilate into the Spanish culture through the utilization of violence which acts as a sort of foreshadowing for the mayhem and uproar that is to come. Near the third arch, Rivera painted the Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo urging the Mexican populace to come together and fright for their independence from Spain and shows some of the most celebrated Mexican figures like Benito Juarez, Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa. In the mural, Rivera painted Emiliano Zapata