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Diego Rivera

Self-portrait (Autorretrato), 1930

Description

Maker

Title

Self-portrait (Autorretrato)

Year

1930

Medium

Color lithograph

Materials/Techniques

Materials

Supports

Dimensions

Plate: 40.2 x 28.4 cm (15 13/16 x 11 3/16 inches)

Type

Credit

Museum Works of Art Fund

Object Number

52.315

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Facing Artists

February 27 - July 31, 2009

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.

Drawing the Line

March 30 - June 10, 2001

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.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in Copyright. This object is Self-portrait (Autorretrato) with the accession number of 52.315. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.