The Art of Jose Clemente Orozco

A wealth of insights about the extraordinary artist's first inspirations; reflections on his life, on Mexico, on mural paintings; his relationships with other painters and experiences in the U.S., as well as a view of the gentle side of an artist with violent emotions.

"This book is a must for all libraries and certainly for any scholar of Mexican art or printmaking... It will also be extremely valuable for collectors, whether institutional or individual, and certainly for museum libraries." Jacqueline Barnitz, Professor of Art and Art History, University of Texas at Austin.

In Mexico in the early 1920s, a growing, collective social consciousness gave rise to a revolutionary furor focused on liberating the country's workers from harsh conditions and poverty. In 1921, Mexican artists Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros were all commissioned by the government to create educational paintings on the walls of public buildings. After that initial experience, they devoted themselves almost exclusively to painting these large-scale murals--forming the foundation of a movement that would last 50 years. The muralists' work took up the themes of society and revolution. Often the paintings depicted historical vignettes like the story of Cuernavaca and Morelos crossing the barranca, or Mexico's ancient Indians. They satirized contemporary society, created ideal visions of peaceful families, and built up dark, imposing industrial cityscapes then leveled them by depicting the debauchery and death of the capitalist industrialists.

The paintings themselves reflect diverse artistic influences--surrealism, cubism, and illustration, most notable among them. Their bold colors and strong imagery practically bound out of the 150 color plates in this book. Mexican muralist and scholar Desmond Rochfort lucidly traces the development of the movement to place the work in context and provides a solid history of each of the artists' social and artistic influences. This is an excellent overview of work that should appeal both to fans of the individual artists and Mexican art in general.

Opening with a poignant gallery of photographic portraits of the Mexican people dating from Revolutionary times, Mexican Muralists offers a sweeping visual account of these towering works and their creation, replete with copious photographic details and an admirable pictorial treatment that positions the murals firmly in their architectural context. A key element in the drama of a successful public work lies in how it is integrated with its physical environment, and the books shows plentiful examples of the use that the muralists made of theirs settings, from deconsecrated churches (which provided their own ironic points of reference) to unusual architectural details and, occasionally, unconventional media (Rivera's remarkable, sprawling mosaics, for example).

Gr 6 Up-A fair and well-rounded introduction to the great muralist and highly influential 20th-century artist. Cruz clearly illustrates how Orozco's prodigious talent and dedication to perfecting his craft eclipsed the injuries he suffered as a teenager that caused him to lose one hand and injure the other. Many of the artist's works are mentioned and given brief but enlightening interpretations. The author clearly explains the controversial themes of Orozco's works, which often dealt with sensitive political and social issues. There are many black-and-white photos and a few pertinent quotations from Orozco himself, family members, and friends. The book has extensive chapter notes and a list for further reading, both evidence of its scholarly format that nevertheless remains approachable. This accessible title will be helpful for research, but also appealing for browsing.

The mural, painted in the center part of the cupula of the then Hospicio cabanas, was begun in. 1936 and finished in 1939. It represents the four elements . This mural is the most admired of all those that were painted in Jalisco by Jose Clemente Orozco. About The Artist: Mexican artist, Jose Clemente Orozco studied engineering and architecture in Mexico City and then enrolled at the Academia San Carlos to study art. His interest in the art and architecture of the Toltecs and Mayas was evident in his paintings, giving his work a distinctive quality that separated him from the European Expressionists. Because of his revolutionary and political beliefs, his paintings often chronicle the dramatic social changes and events in Mexico during his Orozco's lifetime. Between 1917 and 1934, he sporadically worked in the United States and muralist and decorative painter for several public buildings.