GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Although known primarily for his involvement in the Mexican mural movement and his brightly colored murals focused on social issues, Diego Rivera also executed a number of portraits, like this self-portrait, that show his talent as a draftsman. This lithograph was completed shortly before the artist’s departure for the United States, where he worked for three years. At the time of this portrait, Rivera had become the foremost leader in the Mexican mural movement, having completed a project for the National Palace in Mexico City in 1929 and one for the Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca in 1930.
Alongside murals, printmaking was an important medium for Mexican artists following the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1920. Because of their reproducibility, prints were considered an effective way to express the social and political concerns of the period. Like Käthe Kollwitz in Germany, many Mexican artists created prints that focused on the plight of the oppressed and the struggles of the Mexican people.
This self-portrait was published by the American Carl Zigrosser (1819-1975), director of the Weyhe Gallery in New York. Zigrosser was responsible for promoting and publishing some of the most important prints and print portfolios of American and Mexican artists in the 1930s.
Adapted from
- William Keyse Rudolph, Label text, 2005.
- Label text, 2017.
NOTES
Found hard copy of a label text dated to 2017 in object file, but no information about the author. Couldn't find the label copy in confluence either. I pulled from it, but left TMS info as is, since I did not have full information. -CLC, 6/1/18.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Rivera_Diego: ULAN: 500025126
Cultures
Geography
Mexico (nation): TGN: 7005560
New York (New York/United States): TGN: 7007567
Process/materials
lithographs (planographic prints): AAT: 300041379
paper (fiber product): AAT: 300014109
lithography: AAT: 300053271
printmaking: AAT: 300131119
Historical periods
twentieth century (dates CE): AAT: 300404514
Individuals
Subject terms
Mexican Muralist (movement): AAT: 300107850
political art: AAT: 300256621
politics: AAT: 300055537
portrait: AAT: 300015637
revolution: AAT: 300055312
socialism: AAT: 300055533
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
n.d.: Galeria de Arte Mexicano (Inés Amor), Mexico City
1947: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, gift of Junior League Print Fund, purchase from above [1]
The main source for this provenance is the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts acquisition record, n.d., copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records object file. Exceptions are noted.
[1] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
- Khan Academy~Learn more about Mexican muralism and David Alfaro Siqueiros, Diego Rivera, and José Clemente Orozco.
- Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History~Explore the political history of printmaking in Mexico.
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
TEACHING IDEAS
RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1947.38
Category
rules_operator
AND
General Description
Although known primarily for his involvement in the Mexican mural movement and his brightly colored murals focused on social issues, Diego Rivera also executed a number of portraits, like this self-portrait, that show his talent as a draftsman. This lithograph was completed shortly before the artist’s departure for the United States, where he worked for three years. At the time of this portrait, Rivera had become the foremost leader in the Mexican mural movement, having completed a project for the National Palace in Mexico City in 1929 and one for the Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca in 1930.
Alongside murals, printmaking was an important medium for Mexican artists following the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1920. Because of their reproducibility, prints were considered an effective way to express the social and political concerns of the period. Like Käthe Kollwitz in Germany, many Mexican artists created prints that focused on the plight of the oppressed and the struggles of the Mexican people.
This self-portrait was published by the American Carl Zigrosser (1819-1975), director of the Weyhe Gallery in New York. Zigrosser was responsible for promoting and publishing some of the most important prints and print portfolios of American and Mexican artists in the 1930s.
Adapted from
- William Keyse Rudolph, Label text, 2005.
- Label text, 2017.
Fun Facts
Archival Resources
Web Resources
- Khan Academy~Learn more about Mexican muralism and David Alfaro Siqueiros, Diego Rivera, and José Clemente Orozco.
- Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History~Explore the political history of printmaking in Mexico.
Notes
Found hard copy of a label text dated to 2017 in object file, but no information about the author. Couldn't find the label copy in confluence either. I pulled from it, but left TMS info as is, since I did not have full information. -CLC, 6/1/18.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Rivera_Diego: ULAN: 500025126
Cultures
Geography
Mexico (nation): TGN: 7005560
New York (New York/United States): TGN: 7007567
Process/materials
lithographs (planographic prints): AAT: 300041379
paper (fiber product): AAT: 300014109
lithography: AAT: 300053271
printmaking: AAT: 300131119
Historical periods
twentieth century (dates CE): AAT: 300404514
Individuals
Subject terms
Mexican Muralist (movement): AAT: 300107850
political art: AAT: 300256621
politics: AAT: 300055537
portrait: AAT: 300015637
revolution: AAT: 300055312
socialism: AAT: 300055533
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
n.d.: Galeria de Arte Mexicano (Inés Amor), Mexico City
1947: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, gift of Junior League Print Fund, purchase from above [1]
The main source for this provenance is the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts acquisition record, n.d., copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records object file. Exceptions are noted.
[1] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
rules
Apply To
Objects
number
Equals
1947.38
source file
object_notes_2_b-0237.xml.nores