Like popular art forms that include pottery and textiles, Mexican painting also plays an important role in enriching Mexican artistic traditions. Paintings of Mexico began to flourish ever since the Spanish arrived in Mexico. The native artists got in touch with European art and thus dawned a new era in the history of Mexican art. Drawing inspirations from Spanish paintings, native artists began to produce marvelous pieces of work, since the seventeenth century. Oil paintings depicting religious themes were mastered by the indigenous painters.
Mexico paintings gradually developed a style of its own, characterized by the use of rich colors and a unique softness. A particular type of Mexican painting, featuring the use of bright red and blue colors, has been termed
Mexican painting of baroque style. During the middle years of the seventeenth century, painting experienced a phase of decline. In the period post revolution of 1910, painters particularly muralists began to use elaborate techniques to depict social and political issues. The government patronized these painters. Jose Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros commanded international reputation and created some fascinating works of mural art. They also played a significant role in reviving fresco Mexican painting.
Mexican painting produced by contemporary artists display a wide range of methods and styles. Easel and abstract paintings were also produced by some master painters.
Mexico Artists
There are a plethora of artists in Mexico. Some are painters, some muralists and some sculptors. Well known painters of Mexico feature Julio Galan, Francisco Toledo, Jesse Trevino, Juan Soriano, Olga Costa, Remedios Varo, Jose Chavez, Frida Kahlo, Maria Izquierdo, Juan O'Gorman, Abraham Angel, Leopoldo Mendez, Wolfgang Paalen, Carlos Orozco Romeo, Manuel Rodriguez Lozano, Agustin Lazo, Saturnino Herran and many more. Some Mexico artists specializing in mural art include Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Jose Clemenrte Orozco.
