Artist of the revolution: Diego Rivera's artwork reflected his ardent belief in communism and his rejection of God, tradition, and capitalism. Yet his American admirers included the Rockefellers.

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Artist of the revolution: Diego Rivera's artwork reflected his ardent belief in communism and his rejection of God, tradition, and capitalism. Yet his American admirers included the Rockefellers.

Diego Rivera produced some of Mexico's most beautiful and competent art during the 20th century. A student of both classical and modern forms, Rivera's artwork ranged from portraiture to propaganda. But he is perhaps best known for the latter. His colorful, larger-than-life murals reflected his ardent belief in communism, and his rejection of God, tradition, and capitalism. Despite his politics, which were well known to all, Rivera's work was promoted in some unlikely places by some unlikely individuals, including America's super capitalists--the Rockefellers.

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Diego Rivera was born in 1886, in Guanajuato, Mexico, to an upper middle-class family. By age two, his artistic skills were clearly apparent, and he was encouraged to develop them further. His father's political connections and relative wealth secured a sponsorship for young Diego from the state of Veracruz, and in 1907, a...

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