Rivera was one of the most important muralist of the Mexican mural movement. The mural movement began in the 1920's and various artist were called on to paint images of Mexican culture. While most of the artwork was to show people how to go about daily business, Rivera focused more on the past struggles Mexico had faced. The Revolution had recently ended and he was very interested in showing the indigenous people.Perhaps Rivera's work stands out more than others because he used the fresco technique. He mixed wet plaster with paint so that the image would become part of the building, guaranteeing it would last for some time. This is why a majority of his work is painted in dull or faded colors. Yet another characteristic of his work is that his figures are often very rugged or made up of rougher lines. They lack the willowy grace of Siquero's paintings, but they are equally as beautiful. Furthermore, Rivera showed the indigenous people as beautiful and dignified. This could have been in part because an indigenous person had been elected president after the revolution.
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very good- what is the title of this mural? location/date? theme? In this mural, he's depicted figures of indigenous peasants as these solid, pyramidical forms which both echoes the eternal quality of peasant/indigenous life Rivera romanticized and also quotes the way figures were depicted in pre-Columbian codices, or native books.
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