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Diego Rivera's Man at the Crossroads
1934 By 1930, Mexican muralist Diego Rivera has gained international favor for his lush and passionate murals. Inspired by Communist ideals and an intense devotion to his cultural heritage, Rivera creates boldly hued masterpieces of public art that adorn the municipal buildings of Mexico City. His outgoing personality puts him at the center of a circle of left-wing painters and poets, and his talent attracts wealthy patrons, including Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. In 1932, she convinces her husband, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., to commission a Rivera mural for the lobby of the soon-to-be-completed Rockefeller Center in New York City. Flush from successes in San Francisco and Detroit, Rivera proposes a 63-foot-long portrait of workers facing symbolic crossroads of industry, science, socialism, and capitalism. The painter believes that his friendship with the Rockefeller family will allow him to insert an unapproved representation of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin into a section portraying a May Day parade. The real decision-making power lies with the Center's building managers, who abhor Rivera's propagandistic approach. Horrified by newspaper articles attacking the mural's anti-capitalist ideology, they order Rivera to remove the offending image. When Rivera refuses, offering to balance the work with a portrait of Abraham Lincoln on the opposing side, the managers pay his full fee, bar him from the site, and hide the mural behind a massive drape. Despite negotiations to transfer the work to the Museum of Modern Art and demonstrations by Rivera supporters, near midnight, on February 10th, 1934, Rockefeller Center workmen, carrying axes, demolish the mural. Later, Rivera recreates the frescoes in the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City, adding a portrait of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., in a nightclub. Rivera never works in the United States again, but continues to be active, both politically and artistically, until his death in 1957.
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What was the name of Diego Rivera's mom?
His parents were Diego and Maria Barrientos Rivera.
What was Diego Rivera's political affiliation?
Just like his wife, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera was an ardent Communist.
Why did Diego Rivera painted sunset?
He found it beautiful.
What was the cause of death of Diego Rivera's twin brother?
He was sick.
What age did Diego Rivera start painting at?
diego was three years old when he first began drawing.
Who was the famous Mexican mural painter who painted a mural in New York in the 1930'S which was ultimately destroyed by the people who commissioned the work?
Diego Rivera.
What was the name of Diego Rivera's dad?
Diego Rivera's dads name was also Diego Rivera.
Where was Diego rivera from?
Diego Rivera is from Guanajuato, Mexico
Diego Rivera and his wife Frida Kahlo are famous Mexican?
how did Diego rivera come famoushow did Diego rivera come famous
What was Diego Rivera's favorite animal?
diego rivera favorite food
Who was Mexican artist Frida Kahlo's husband and why is he also famous?
Frida Kahlo married Diego Rivera, a Mexican artist.
When was Pinacoteca Diego Rivera created?
Pinacoteca Diego Rivera was created in 1998.
What was the name of Diego Rivera's mom?
His parents were Diego and Maria Barrientos Rivera.
What made Diego rivera happy?
what made Diego Rivera happy was that he realize his dream of becoming a artist. Diego Rivera never though he could become an artist
What is the name of Diego Rivera's twin?
The name of Diego Rivera's twin was Jose Carlos Barrientos de Rivera. Carlos Maria
Where are Diego Rivera's paintings now?
Diego Rivera's murals are at the City College of San Francisco.
What were Diego Rivera's kids' names?
Diego Rivera had 4 children. His son was named Diego, and his daughters were named Marika, Ruth, and Guadalupe.
