This is the 7th post in our Artist of the Week series.
Diego Rivera was born in 1886 and died in 1957. He is most known for being a Mexican painter and his wall frescoes. His work is seen all over the world and helped to start the Mexican Mural Renaissance.
Diego began studying art at the age of ten and continued to study art in Mexico city until the governor of Vercruz sponsored him to study in Europe. From 1907 until 1921, Diego traveled through Europe studying everything from cubism to the Renaissance frescoes of Italy. He returned to Mexico in 1921 as part of a government sponsored mural program.
Most of his murals were done in fresco style and they told a story. Diego's murals became so popular in Mexico that he began to take offers from all over the world, including Russia and the U.S. Unfortunately some of Diego's murals in the states were either taken down or canceled because of the fact that Diego's communist leanings often appeared in his work.
Today his work is appreciated for its grand scale and traditional style.
To learn more about Diego Rivera visit the Diego Rivera Web Museum.
