This is the visit to the Museum of Fine Arts at Houston Tx

This is group of 4 paintings from the Houston Museum of Fine arts

1. Houston Museum of Fine Arts Visited and critiqued by Frank Miranda

2. Introduction I want to being this presentation by noting the layout of this presentation. There will be a picture containing an art piece, following the slide showcasing the art piece there will be 4 more slides with the main areas of critique. These paintings were featured throughout the museum and some are from the website since I could not find one of the pieces critiqued today .

3. Dance in Tehuantepec

4. Description On the label of the painting it read : Diego Rivera, Dance in Tehuantepec, 1928, oil on canvas, collection of Eduardo F. Costantini, Buenos Aires. © Banco de México Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico D.F. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York The painting was painted by a man names Diego Rivera and he named this piece Dance in Tehuantepec The painting was painted in 1928 in Mexico City The painting was painted in an era of new movement idolizing the arts. As seen in this depiction a dance is occurring in traditional mexican clothes, perhaps a celebration for the new leadership during the time it was painted in.

5. Analysis One common thing among a lot of these paintings are that they all use the oil paint on canvas expect for one. The painting has a couple of people in frame, with some lingering in the background perhaps waiting their turn. The focus turns on the front two dancers caught in limbo as the women ready their moves.

6. Interpretation The artwork in this painting reminds me alot fo the artwork that is painted on clay pottery in mexico. The artist used a lot of the same dull yet vibrant colors that attract the attention of someone walking by.

7. Evaluation The originality of the painting is true yet similar. Many other paintings use the same colorway or the same style of painting, but that is because of how influential diego Rivera was in his artwork that many followed in his footsteps. A key takeaway to the painting might be someone who is not accustomed or unfamiliar with the traditional mexican clothing, which can confuse the viewer.

8. La Bordadora

9. Description The actual label for this artwork reads as so: Diego Rivera, La Bordadora, 1928, oil on canvas. © 2022 Christie’s Images Limited This painting was set apart from the others in a darker room with a single light casting down on the painting to illuminate the art on the canvas The oil paint on the canvas took mastercraft with the raised edges capturing the wood and the flowers perfectly. For this painting the subject diego was reaching for was normal day activities.

10. Analysis The artwork is similar to the other pieces by Diego, but captures a different aspect of what the regular life in mexico is perceived as. In this painting you can see two women one weaving a beautiful piece of cloth with flowers on it. This piece is showing the people what a normal day could consist of if you were right there in the moment.

11. Interpretation The expressive qualities of the painting are not really the flashy realism, or the unorthodox painting style. It's the raw felt staging representing the life these mexican families live. You sit and look at this painting and in your mind your supposed to picture yourself there, waiting for whomever this women is to finish the piece so that you can work one something else or watch her make something else.

12. Evaluation I feel as this piece is a definite success , for me I grew up watching my grandma do the exact same thing as this lady is doing. So Diego caught his experience and painted it blissfully so.

13. Self-Portrait on the Border Line between Mexico and the United States

14. Description The painting description is as so : Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait on the Border Line between Mexico and the United States, 1932, oil on metal, collection of María and Manuel Reyero, New York. © 2017 Banco de México Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico D. F. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York It was painted in 1932, by the artist Frida Kahlo The painting is of a women on what seems like the border of US and Mexico during what seems to be an industrial era.

15. Analysis In the painting you can see the repetition of stereotypes of what the industrial revolution looked like, similar to the style of a political cartoon. Two significant points to the painting is the American flag and the sun and moon, which are two clear representations of what countries are being compared. There is a single women in the middle of the frame amidst the chaos of what seems like factories and cities and the simple life of gardening and nature.

16. Interpretation The painting reminds me so much of what political cartoons were like back in the era of the 20’s. Complete exaggerations of what conditions are like to entiavise the point. This painting takes that same approach by showing you the clear lines of what mexican life is like compared to american life. I think the painting relates quite well to what the people in mexico might have been feeling like seeing their neighbors thrive into the top of the world.

17. Evaluation I think this painting is a success from how easy it is to read the message and understand what the message is and where it comes from. The longer you look at the painting the more things that begin to appear that add to the overall message that the US is a industrial nation. The only real downside to this painting is the lack of depiction of what mexican cities looked like during this time. There is a pyramid in the background likely referring to the Aztecs, but no mexican city.

18. The Duchess of Alba

19. Description The painting description is as so : Goya (Francisco de Goya y Lucientes), The Duchess of Alba, 1797, oil on canvas, the Hispanic Society of America. It was painted by Francisco de Goya y Lucientes or Goya It was painted in 1797 during the Viceregal and 19th-Century Latin America era of spanish rule. During this time spain had just discovered the americas and many spanish were coming to South America and with them their art.

20. Analysis The painting is organized in the traditional portrait style but in the outdoors. The centerpiece is a women dressed in what seems to be european clothing, likely to be the spanish who had just came to south america . The main focal point of this painting is the clothing the lady is wearing, it is very different from the other clothing in this presentation.

21. Interpretation The expressive qualities of this painting are the feelings of conquer and nature. In its raw from its hard to come to the conclusion that this lady is a conquer , but the reason spain came to south america in the first place was to grow their nation. Another thing this painting reminds me of is the Guadalupe river, the river is a dark brown from all the mud, the river or stream in the background reminds me a lot of the border. In terms of relation to the other paintings or works from the time, this painting stands out because the people who painted it were not natives of the land.

22. Evaluation I think if this painting is representing nothing other than capturing the beauty of the lady on a nice day then it is a success, but I also think this is a flop considering that the spanish were never successful in conquering south america in the end. One real critique that I have is the lack of color and the lack of detail in the forest behind, the landscape could have complimented the lady beautifly if it were implemented more predominantly