Diego Rivera (1886–1957)

This book isn't spectacular. Rivera and his Ghost Writer focus mostly on how wonderful Rivera is and it becomes stomach turning after a short period. I do suggest, though, that you search out a copy and spend ten minutes reading the chapter on Rivera's experiments with canibalism in college. It isn't in any way graphic, but it is hysterical to hear him try to justify the practice.

An old man telling how he changed the world and could not stay away from women. Sounds like stories that have grown thru the years. Especially since they were recorded by a young woman and he admitted that he did anything to make an impression with them. But he did lead the muralista art charge that ended up painting many of our US post offices. And I get carried away with his palacico mural in DF (mexico city that is). And he met the big guns in the 20th century: Stalin, Picasso, Henry show more Ford, Sisqueros, even ran into Hitler as he did his tour de Europe Art Schools and rejected cubism to be more Mexicano. He tells of his 4 wives and Frida is in the mix. Interesting but you have to filter. Like you would if I told you my life story. show less

What one would expect of Rivera's outsize ego. Of course, I don't believe half of it, but read it to get a picture of what he believed of himself and also for his descriptions of his paintings and technique that are scattered throughout the book. All in all, an interesting but unbelievable story of an icon. I did think that more information about Frida could have been included.

First edition of 'Portrait of Mexico' was co-authored by the artist and Bertram Wolfe, who would soon publish his critically acclaimed biography of Rivera in 1939. As Wolfe notes, Rivera's paintings reveal Mexico "at work and at play, rejoicing and sorrowing, building and dreaming" (29). In his own study of Rivera, Pete Hamill similarly observed: "Rivera put his stamp on Mexico the way Bernini placed his on Rome. It is impossible to think of Mexico today without also seeing the images of show more Diego Rivera". Portrait of Mexico brings together in one volume images of Rivera's inimitable artistry: views of his evocative easel paintings and celebrated frescos from Mexico City's Ministry of Education, Chapingo's National Agricultural School and the Palace of Cortez at Cuernavaca, along with previously unpublished views of murals at Mexico City's National Palace and Ministry of Health. Also featured are images of Rivera's frescos at the Hotel Reforma before Alberto Pani (who commissioned the murals) ordered their mutilation. Pani's action sparked a court case that allowed Rivera to restore the works, although Pani later removed the panels and kept them in storage for decades. Containing 257 black-and-white photogravures (most full page), many from photographs by Tina Modotti and Manuael Álvarez Bravo. show less