Diego Rivera. (Mexican, 1886-1957). Agrarian Leader Zapata. 1931. Fresco, 7' 9 3/4" x 6' 2" (238.1 x 188 cm). Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Fund

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Diego Rivera painted Agrarian Leader Zapata for an exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art in 1931. This painting is based on a series of murals the Mexican government commissioned Rivera to paint for the Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca, in 1930. The Mexican murals were intended to highlight events, particularly revolutionary themes, in Mexican history.

1. Does this information change any of your ideas about the work?
   
   
2. In your opinion, does Rivera's painting tell a story about a moment in history? Why or why not?

A fresco is a painting made on a wet, freshly prepared plaster wall. As the plaster dries, the paint fuses with the wall. Find something that is about as big as Rivera's painting, which is 7' 9 3/4" x 6' 2", and imagine the painting that size.

1. Now that you have a sense of how large the painting is, do you think its size is important? Explain.

Think of a picture or sculpture that you've seen or one you have read about that pays tribute to heroic figures of war or revolution. Do you think the artist(s) did a good job of capturing the importance of this person (people) or event? Support your opinion with specific examples you see in the work.