Diego Rivera

The larger-than-life sensibility of this self-portrait suits the reputation of Diego Rivera, a central figure in the Mexican Muralist movement. The work dates from the

year after he married his third wife (artist Frida Kahlo), was named director of the Academia de San Carlos, and saw the Communist Party-of which he was a

member-outlawed in Mexico. By 1930 he was already forced to resign as director of the Academia by the right-wing Calles government. Known for the drama

and grand scale of his murals, Rivera depicted himself with a faint smile in soft-looking crayon in this portrait, revealing another side of the man.

The soft fullness of the crayon is well suited to the artist's ample size. Rivera's face fills the sheet, and his eyes convey an intensity that matches his reputation. Over much of the picture, lines are densely placed to convey tone, yet the artist has been careful not to fill in the dark areas completely. The individual marks add a depth and richness to the image, enhanced by the layer of ochre ink printed on the gray paper.