The 10 most famous paintings in Mexico

• These are the most famous paintings in Mexico! 
• Learn about these important artists and their work.
• They include Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and many more.

These are the most famous paintings in Mexico! The Mexican art scene is one of the richest in Latin America, with important works such as paintings, sculptures and murals by renowned artists such as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.

Today, these valuable works are kept in different museums and galleries around the country, on exhibit for visitors from Mexico and the whole world. Without a doubt, it’s a legacy that will remain for many more centuries

10. The Virgin of Guadalupe by Marcos Cipac de Aquino: Among the most famous paintings in Mexico

The Virgin of Guadalupe is one of the most important figures in the history of Mexico. This image, which is located inside the Basilica of Guadalupe, in Mexico, is visited by millions of pilgrims a year, but the history of its creation has been the subject of much study.

Officially, the artist who painted it has not been identified but some historical data reveals that it was undertaken by Marcos Cipac de Aquino, a Mexican who depicted in a painting, the Virgin of Guadalupe as described by San Juan Diego.

9. Portrait of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz by Miguel Mateo Maldonado y Cabrera

The Portrait of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz is a work by the New Spanish Baroque painter Miguel Mateo Maldonado y Cabrera, also known as Cabrera, who completed the work in 1750. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz is an iconic figure in Mexican and Latin American literature. Currently, the painting is in the National Museum of History of Mexico, located in the Chapultepec Castle.

In the work, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz is seated in a chair, holding a pen in her hand and an open book on her lap. Among the details that stand out the most are her fine features and the soft light that was used to give an atmosphere of reflection and clarity.

8. The most famous paintings in Mexico: The Two Fridas by Frida Kahlo

The Two Fridas is a work created by Frida Kahlo in 1939. It is a self-portrait where two figures of the artist can be seen, sitting next to each other. While one wears a traditional Mexican costume, the other wears a Victorian-style dress as they hold hands and their veins open and bleed.

It is among the most important works created by the Mexican artist, portrayed her struggle with identity, self-esteem and the Mexican essence that distinguished her. It is also an ode to the sadness that she went through when she divorced Diego Rivera. The work is in the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico.

7. Dream of a Sunday afternoon in Alameda Central by Diego Rivera

Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central is an imposing mural painted by Mexican artist Diego Rivera in 1947. It is located in the Diego Rivera Mural Museum, right near the Alameda Central, a historic park in Mexico City. Three sections divide the work: In the center, there is a girl called «La Catrina», a character from Mexican popular culture that represents death.

To his right is Rivera himself, who is depicted as a child with his wife Frida Kahlo and other figures from Mexican history and culture. To his left is a crowd of ordinary people, including workers and the poor, who are heroically portrayed. He also addresses social and political issues, such as workers’ struggle for social justice and the need for the poor to have access to education.

6. The Creation of Birds by Remedios Varo

The Creation of Birds by Remedios Varo, is located in the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico, and is part of a series of surrealist paintings which explore themes of creation, nature and science. In it, a large tree is seen in the center, surrounded by fantasy creatures, including birds with human faces and masked figures.

There is also a main character standing right in the center of the painting, who seems to be in charge of creating the components of the painting; various analyzes of the work ensure that there is a link between nature and technology that defies all the laws of reality.

5. Dance in Tehuantepec by Diego Rivera

Dance in Tehuantepec by Diego Rivera was listed as the most expensive Latin American work in history. It was created in 1928 with the aim of reflecting the culture and daily life of Tehuantepec, a region of Oaxaca, Mexico. There, a dance scene with typical costumes is observed with the women wearing long dresses, and the men in hats and boots.

This work became known for being a representation of Mexican culture, but also for Rivera’s artistic ability to detail aspects such as daily life, natural scenes and the beauty that Mexico offers. It has also been considered a celebration of diversity, including indigenous and mestizo elements.

4. Self-portrait (the Colonel) by David Alfaro Siqueiros

El Coronelazo is a self-portrait of David Alfaro Siqueiros, one of the most outstanding Mexican muralists in history. He painted this in 1937, in it he portrays himself wearing a military uniform holding a gun. It alludes to a failed coup d’état in which they sought to overthrow the government at the time.

Siqueiros was part of the group that tried to carry out the coup, which is why his mural has become a symbol of struggle and defense of democracy. The painting is characterized by its realistic style and its strong use of light and shadow, with a high level of detail where delicate strokes can be seen in each figure that makes up the portrait.

3. The Wounded Table by Frida Kahlo

The Wounded Table is also kept at the MOMA Mexico. It was created in 1940 in a surrealist style where the use of symbols and metaphors is a tool to explore personal themes and political aspects of the time.

In the painting you can see a long and rectangular table that has been cut by an axe. On it, there are objects such as an open wallet, a piece of meat and a knife, which symbolize violence, suffering, loneliness and hopelessness, problems generally present in Kahlo’s works.

2. The Spine by Raul Anguiano

A trip forever changed the life of the artist Raúl Anguiano, who at the beginning of 1940 began an expedition through the Lacandon jungle of Mexico, where he discovered the archaeological remains of Bonampak. The work is characterized by a realistic style and the denunciation of social and political issues.

The painting is the representation of a woman who has a thorn stuck in her foot. She is dressed in traditional clothing and her face reflects pain and suffering, something that has been interpreted as a symbol of oppression towards the Mexican people and the resistance of vulnerable communities to face political and social changes.

1. The Man Controlling the Universe by Diego Rivera

The Man Controlling the Universe is a mural by Diego Rivera, created in 1934. It was originally commissioned for the Rockefeller Center in New York but Rivera recreated it at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City in 1935. The construction site represents the evolution of humanity and the struggle for control and liberation of the universe.

The mural is divided into two parts, with a horizontal line separating the top from the bottom. The upper part represents the world of knowledge and technology, while the lower part represents the world of oppression and struggle. Many of the Mexican works, regardless of the genre to which they belong, reflect the social problems that affected the historical periods and that have created a mark on Mexican culture, and their artistic contribution has made them remain under strict protection in the most important museums of Mexico and the world.