José Clemente Orozco
Mexican
José Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera, and David Alfaro Siqueiros are known in Mexico as “Los Tres Grandes,” the three founders and masters of the modern Mexican Muralist movement. Fusing a Social Realist style with subject matter derived both from Mexican history and contemporary politics, these artists promoted an indigenous and nationalist art that advocated for social change and helped promote Mexican cultural identity.
Born
1883
Died
1949
How do color and shape help tell this story?
This painting features a subject from the Mexican Revolution. Here we see a group of men and women who have been taken prisoner and are being herded like cattle by two soldiers, the acordada of the title. The prisoners are followers of Emiliano Zapata, a revolutionary who fought for the political and economic liberation of Mexican peasants. The acordada, paid soldiers employed by various political leaders, often committed war crimes against opposition soldiers and civilians.
Medium
Oil on canvas
Credit
Museum purchase, American Art Trust Fund, Dr. Leland A. Barber and Gladys K. Barber Fund, American Art Fund, Tribute Funds, Bequest of Frances Leventritt, and Skae Fund Legacy, by exchange
Item ID
2015.36
Dimensions
26 x 32 1/4 in. (66 x 81.9 cm)
Date
1941
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Artist name
José Clemente Orozco
Artwork location