In the 1920s, the Muralism movement took shape in Mexico. Following the success of the recent Revolution, Mexico needed a new way to express its ideals and showcase its dynamic new spirit. The old art of murals was revived, allowing for a new generation of artists to take the stage. Among them was the great Diego Rivera.

Known as one of “Los Tres Grandes” (The Three Great Ones) of Muralism, Rivera was first inspired as a painter while traveling Europe as a young man. After being exposed to Post-Impressionism and Picasso’s Cubism, he returned to Mexico to pursue his talent. With a style of simple forms and bright, vivid colors, Rivera was able to capture an audience among his people. He then answered the call by the Mexican government for commissioning artists to paint modern themes and ideals on colonial-era buildings. His career, however, was troubled with numerous scandals because of his Communist politics, just as his personal life was marked with several affairs and failed marriages—his most notable being his relationship with fellow artist Frida Kahlo.

Of the three major Muralists in his time—alongside Jose Clemente Orozco and David Siqueiros—Riviera was the most traditional painter. His style initially drew on European forms to depict everyday scenes of Mexican life, but eventually he adopted simpler designs with more earthy colors to imitate the lost art of indigenous murals. While his contemporaries used more radical or political themes, Rivera focused more on promoting Mexico’s pre-colonial past and putting indigenous people and their issues at the center of his works.

Mexican Muralism itself dates back to the Olmec civilization. While ancient murals were used for religious and evangelical purposes during the Spanish colonial era, they fell out of favor as traditional European art became the norm in Mexico. This changed during the Revolution, as rebels and artists sought a truly Mexican style that would reflect the authentic Mexican life. The movement gained strength as the country left behind its rural roots in favor of a more industrial economy. Oil paint, ceramics, and mosaics were used to create large and colorful murals on colonial government buildings. The art of the fresco—painting murals on fresh plaster—was also brought back into vogue, allowing for new color and details to be brought to the public eye.

The work of Diego Rivera and other Muralists has had a lasting impact, both in Mexico and in other parts of the globe. While many murals still follow a political theme, most are simply taken as a common sight in Mexican and Mexican-American communities and a revival of native art.

Image Credit: Joaquín Martínez Rosado on Flickr