Diego Rivera and the Birth of Modern Mexican Art at Rome's Capitoline Museums
Opening at Villa Caffarelli, Musei Capitolini in Rome, the exhibition 'Diego Rivera and the Construction of Modern Art in Mexico in the 20th Century' will run from June 9 to December 13, 2026. Curators Miguel Fernández Félix and Alberto González Torres present over 140 artworks, including 30 by Diego Rivera, many of which are making their debut in Mexico. The exhibition examines the visual language of Mexico shaped by both European avant-gardes and indigenous traditions, featuring notable artists such as Frida Kahlo and José Clemente Orozco. It traces the journey from Mexico's independence in 1821 to the Muralist movement after the Revolution, which received backing from Education Minister José Vasconcelos. The event is organized by Roma Capitale, with support from INBAL and the Mexican Embassy in Italy.
Key facts
- Exhibition runs June 9 to December 13, 2026 at Villa Caffarelli, Musei Capitolini, Rome
- Over 140 works on display, 30 by Diego Rivera
- Curated by Miguel Fernández Félix and Alberto González Torres
- Features artists: Frida Kahlo, José María Velasco, José Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, María Izquierdo, Rufino Tamayo, Roberto Montenegro, Saturnino Herrán
- Includes historical photographs by Tina Modotti
- Narrative starts from Mexico's independence in 1821
- Highlights European influences from Italy, Spain, France
- Produced with MetaMorfosi Eventi and Museo Kaluz
Entities
Artists
- Diego Rivera
- Frida Kahlo
- José María Velasco
- José Clemente Orozco
- David Alfaro Siqueiros
- María Izquierdo
- Rufino Tamayo
- Roberto Montenegro
- Saturnino Herrán
- Tina Modotti
- Pablo Picasso
- Paul Cézanne
- Giorgio de Chirico
- Giotto
- Masaccio
- Michelangelo
- Tamayo
- Lozano
- Montenegro
- Ruiz
- Dr Atl
- Miguel Fernández Félix
- Alberto González Torres
- Francisco Madero
- Emiliano Zapata
- Pancho Villa
- Porfirio Díaz
- José Vasconcelos
- Ángel Zárraga
- Alfredo Ramos Martínez
- Gerardo Murillo
- Manuel Rodríguez Lozano
- Agustín Lazo
- Jean Charlot
- Angelina Beloff
- Amedeo Modigliani
- Tsuguharu Foujita
- Guillaume Apollinaire
- Juan Gris
- Santiago Rebull
- José Salomé Pina
- Félix Parra
- Eduardo Chicharro
- Francisco de Goya
- El Greco
- Diego Velázquez
- Michelangelo Buonarroti
- Tintoretto
- Pelegrín Clavé
- Manuel Vilar
- Eugenio Landesio
- Juan Cordero
- Pietro Gualdi
- André Breton
- Leo Trotzki
- Olivier Debroise
- Bertram D. Wolfe
- Anita Brenner
- Adolfo Best Maugard
- Teodoro A. Dehesa
- Pierre Reverdy
Institutions
- Musei Capitolini
- Villa Caffarelli
- Museo Kaluz
- Museo Robert Brady
- MetaMorfosi Eventi
- Zètema Progetto Cultura
- INBAL (Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura)
- Mexican Embassy in Italy
- Roma Capitale
- Ambasciata del Messico in Italia
- Academia de San Carlos
- Gangemi (publisher)
- Artribune
- Capitoline Museums
- Accademia di San Luca
- Museo del Prado
- Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP)
- Universidad Autónoma Chapingo
- Palacio Nacional
- Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes
- Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL)
- Philadelphia Museum of Art
- Fundación Robert Brady
- Sammlung Pérez Simón
- Sammlung Ricardo B. Salinas Pliego
- Kommunistische Partei Mexikos
- Escuelas de Pintura al Aire Libre
- Misiones Culturales
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Mexico
- Mexico City
- Spain
- France
- Villa Caffarelli
- Campidoglio
- Guanajuato
- Messico
- Paris
- Madrid
- Brussels
- Belgium
- Berlin
- Germany
- San Francisco
- United States
- Detroit
- New York
- Veracruz
- Cuernavaca
- Texcoco
- Montparnasse
- Piazza del Campidoglio
- Via delle Tre Pile
- Jerusalem
- Israel