Anthony J. Sisti (1901-1983)

The Mural Painter is the renowned Mexican painter and muralist Diego Rivera (1886-1957). Rivera was admired by many members of the Art Institute of Buffalo, including its director, William B. Rowe who painted murals himself and helped secure mural commissions for faculty and students. Rowe unsuccessfully tried to host Rivera’s contemporary, the Mexican artist and muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros (1896-1974) to become an honorary member of the AIB faculty around 1944-45. Although invited to be Guest Artist/Faculty and conduct a six-week course to paint a mural at the Institute, Siqueiros was unable to come to Buffalo.  — Nancy Weekly

This portrait depicts Diego Rivera, the Mexican painter known for his politically charged murals. At the time, Rivera was painting murals on 14th Street in New York City. In 1933, Rivera, Frank Brangwyn and José Sert were commissioned to create nine murals in New York’s RCA building. Rivera’s titled “Man at crossroads looking with hope and high vision to the choosing of a new and better future,” was initially praised by Abby A. Rockefeller. However, following Rivera’s dispute with Nelson Rockefeller regarding replacing the face of Lenin with an anonymous person, RCA dismissed Rivera and covered his mural with blank canvas. In July of 1933, Rivera began painting panels at the New Workers School. (NW for Labor label, 2005)