Art and Architecture in Mexico (World of Art)

Product Description This new interpretive history of Mexican art and architecture from the Spanish Conquest to the early decades of the 21st century is the most comprehensive introduction to the subject in fifty years. James Oles ranges widely across media and genres, offering new readings of paintings, murals, sculptures, buildings, prints and photographs. He interprets major works by such famous artists as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, but also discusses less familiar figures who were equally important in the construction of national identity. The story of Mexican art is set in its rich historical context by the books treatment of political and social change. The author draws on recent scholarship to examine crucial issues of race, class and gender, including an exploration of the work of indigenous artists during the colonial period, and of women artists in the 19th and 20th centuries. Throughout, Oles shows how artists in Mexico participated in local and international developments, and highlights the important role played by Mexicans in the art world of the last five centuries. Review A winning survey for any Mexican art collection.-- "The Midwest Book Review" James Oles's welcome contribution to the estimable Thames & Hudson World of Art series presents in a single volume a substantial survey of art and architecture in Mexico.-- "Art Libraries Society of North America" Oles proposes new readings of prints, photographs and more.-- "Museum Store Magazine" One of the most important contemporary contributions to understanding Mexican art and architecture from the Spanish conquest to the present. Through key examples--some well know and canonical, others that are overlooked in traditional scholarship--it provides expression for . . . complexities. . . . Essential.-- "Choice" From the Back Cover ?This new interpretive history of Mexican art and architecture from the Spanish Conquest to the early decades of the 21st century is the most comprehensive introduction to the subject in fifty years. James Oles ranges widely across media and genres, offering new readings of paintings, murals, sculptures, buildings, prints and photographs. He interprets major works by such famous artists as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, but also discusses less familiar figures who were equally important in the construction of national identity. The story of Mexican art is set in its rich historical context by the books treatment of political and social change. The author draws on recent scholarship to examine crucial issues of race, class and gender, including an exploration of the work of indigenous artists during the colonial period, and of women artists in the 19th and 20th centuries. Throughout, Oles shows how artists in Mexico participated in local and international developments, and highlights the important role played by Mexicans in the art world of the last five centuries. About the Author James Oles is Senior Lecturer in Art at Wellesley College, Massachusetts, and adjunct curator of Latin American art at the college’s Davis Museum and Cultural Center.