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Smith
Art on Display at MoMA
"Indian Warrior," 1931, by Diego Rivera, fresco on reinforced
cement in a metal framework. |
Currently on view at New
York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) are two Diego Rivera frescos
owned by Smith, as part of the exhibition Diego Rivera:
Murals for the Museum of Modern Art, on display through
May 14.
One of the murals, “Indian Warrior,” was
a significant purchase by the college as it is one of the
few of the artist’s landmark works to be owned privately.
It was purchased with money from the Hillyer endowment fund.
The second work, “Market Place,” is a smaller fresco with
a very interesting history. It was commissioned by Mrs. Dwight
Morrow (née Cutter) when her husband was the U.S. ambassador
to Mexico. Prior to leaving office, her husband hired Rivera
to paint the murals in the Palace of Cortez in Cuernavaca,
Mexico. Mrs. Morrow then commissioned a small fresco for
her personal collection. She later donated the work to Smith.
In 1931, MoMA brought Diego
Rivera to New York to create five murals for the museum,
including the two now owned by Smith. For the first time
in 80 years, the murals are on view at the museum. |
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