908. Diego Rivera (1886-1957), Mexican,

Portrait of Ruth Rivera, 1949.

Oil on canvas, 199 x 100 cm.

Rafael Coronel Collection, Cuernavaca.

 

 

Diego Rivera

(1886 Guanajuato – 1957 Mexico City)

 

Diego Rivera was Mexican muralist who is known for his large scale colourful frescoes that helped established the Mexican Mural Renaissance. Born in Guanajuato, Rivera, was an active communist and womanizer who later wooed and married the infamous Frida Kahlo. In his early career he journeyed to Italy and discovered the frescoes painted by Giotto and decidedly adopted the monumental decoration technique and added his own stylistic traits and pre-Colombian elements. Rivera was attracted by the Synthetic Cubism movement that was pioneered by the Spanish modern artist Juan Gris. He later developed his own style based on large, simplified figures and bold colours with obvious Aztec influence that are clearly present in the frescoes at the Secretariat of Public Education in Mexico City a project that began in 1922 and consists of 124 murals, which was finished in 1928.