These murals, at the federal government building that houses the Ministry of Public Education,  were painted from 1923 to 1928, primarily by Diego Rivera. Many consider the murals to be the foundational work that established the aesthetic of the Mexican Mural Renaissance.

In The Liberation of the Peon, Rivera draws on imagery of Christ’s martyrdom. Here, he links the worker (a farmer) to the martyred form of Christ to glorify him.

The Liberation of the Peon

Leaving the Mine depicts a worker being searched upon exiting the mine at the end of his workday. He is cloaked in white, and his extended arms resemble the crucified Christ.

Leaving the Mine

Labor Movement

Diego Rivera Mural