June's Libro del Mes: Diego Rivera, His World and Ours

Diego Rivera, His World and Ours

written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh

The LBBC’s recommendation for June’s Libro del Mes, is Duncan Tonatiuh’s Diego Rivera, His World and Ours.

I discovered Tonatiuh’s new books last month while reading through a museum’s book blog. The illustrations immediately caught my eye because of their distinctive style.

We have reviewed books about Diego Rivera before, but I love how this story is approached from a different perspective, inspiring the reader to think of how Diego’s art is relevant today. The first half of the book shares the story of Diego’s formal art education – his travel to Spain and France, the techniques and methods he experimented with – as well as what he ultimately chose as his subjects.

But it is the second half of this book that I found intriguing, because in it, Tonatiuh asks the question: “If he [Diego] were alive today, what would he paint?” He then goes on to ingeniously depict modern images along side some of Diego’s artwork (as drawn by Tonatiuh).

At the back of the book, the author added a glossary of words and references (i.e., Cubism, mural, Quetzalcoatl, etc.), as well as a note with a brief description of Diego’s life and Tonatiuh’s opinion of him. He includes a list of places both in the U.S. and outside, where Diego’s work can be found. And he also shares a bibliography and list of websites on the artist. But I think perhaps, my favorite section is the one labeled “Inspirations,” which lists the original works by Diego that inspired some of the illustrations in the book.

Diego Rivera is written in English with some embedded Spanish text. Tonatiuh's unique style combines photographs of textures and patterns with drawn images. We'll share an interview with him tomorrow about how he creates his illustrations and what inspires him, so check back.

Parents and teachers: This book is an awesome resource if you are studying art history or Mexican culture. It is also great for inspiring your child to create his or her own work of art. This book is best suited for children ages 4 and up.

If you would like to buy your own copy of Diego Rivera, His World and Ours, please click here. Or you can follow the link in our sidebar to the LBBC’s on-line store. We have both new and gently used copies available.