Orozco and Siqueiros at the Academy of San Carlos1

OROZCO AND SIQUEIROS AT THE ACADEMY OF SAN CARLOS1

Jean Charlot

l the lengthy feud he had fought with Mercado neared its end, Fabres rea The first mention I found of José Cle lized that he would never reach his mente Orozco in the archives of the goal, that was no less than the direc Academy of San Carlos dates of May, torship of the school. He still gave 1906. He was then already twenty- two night classes, one of the nude four years of age, older than the ave and one of the costumed model, but rage art student at the school. This attended them only halfheartedly. is explained by the fact that his first Oftentimes he failed to come, or left serious pursuit having been scientific before time. The model would lea agriculture, art had, up to then, fared ve early too. A few students would as no more than an avocation. That follow the model, and, soon after that, Orozco must have already studied at the class would exit in toto. the Academy before 1906 is implied, The janitor, Lino Lebrija, posted noti however, by the fact that tipically, this ces at strategic corners, to remind the first recorded activity was part of a students how it was absolutely forbid collective motion for self-expulsion! den to leave between class hours, and In 1906, Don Antonio Fabres, he and his helpers stood guard by the sub-director of the school, was on main entrance, reprovingly. It was his the way out. Three years before, as duty as well to redact reports of such the personal nominee of the presi incidents for the Director, wherein he dent of the Republic, General Don Porfirio Díaz, he figured as a political 1Artículo publicado en College Art Jour power, with a salary of 7,200 pesos nal, núm. 4, vol. X, verano de 1951, pp. 355- that exceeded even that of the Direc 369. Agradecemos profundamente al doctor John Charlot y a la Fundación Jean Charlot tor, mildmannered architect Don (Honolulú, Hawai) habernos donado un sobre Antonio Rivas Mercado. Now that tiro de este interesante ensayo. Two of the more pugnacious youngsters, García Núñez and a fellow agitator, Carlos Zaldívar, were expulsed for fitteen days. Promptly, a petition in their favor was placed before the Direc tor; it was signed by ten of Fabres' stu dents and given added weight by the following postscriptum: "The other stu dents who were not there at the time of signing are nevertheless in agree ment with what it says".

The petition ran:

It is with intense surprise that we heard of the order to expulse from the school our fellow students becau se they left before time ... Had this happened with a view to promoting disorder, such punishment would be justified ... However, if we left, it is only because there was no model –he was gone at 8:00 P.M.– and so no further Portada de la revista donde se publicó purpose in keeping to the classroom. originalmente este artículo. If these two students deserve punish ment, then we shall consider oursel ves as equally expelled together with used to refer to himself in the third per them, that is, all of us who left the 3 son, dispassionately: building that night ...

Disobeying your orders, two of Among the ten signers was José the students of professor Anto Clemente Orozco. probably with nio Fabres started a rumpus the evening of the 7th of the current an eye to resulting demerits, some month, May, 1906. Its outcome was bureaucrat checked beside each stu the exit of all the students out of dent's name what classes he attented. these two classes, when the janitor One name received only a cross, with his aids found themselves helpless the remark, " Is not a student of the to restore order ... school". Orozco's name rated also a Such a scene was reenacted yester day, and student García Núñez, while wrestling with the janitor, tore loose 2Archives of San Carlos, 1906-34. 2 3 198 the bell-pull of the door ... Ibíd. cross and nothing else. This suggests that, at the time, he was not as yet a registered student. The next year, 1907, Orozco was included in the alphabetical list of registered students. By 1910, he was referred to as a senior student of life-class when his contest drawing was adjudged hors-concours, a rating which implies that he had previously received his full share of honors. 1910 was Centennial Year, with many festivities planned for Septem ber, to commemorate Hidalgo's upri sing that resulted in Mexico's political independence from Spain. The presi dent of the Republic, Don porfirio Diaz, with a kind of surrealistic illogic, ruled that a gigantic display of con temporary Spanish art should add fitting gloss to the celebration. Towards this end, a government subvention of 35,000 pesos was readily earmarked, and a specially constructed exhibition building thrown in.4 Young Mexican artists, mostly stu dents of the Academy, were naturally David Alfaro Siqueiros en la Escuela nonplussed. They decided to put up Nacional Preparatoria cuando se constituye la Conferderación Sindical Unitaria de México, their own display of national art, either 1929. Foto: Acervo Sala de Arte Público totally forgotten or wilfully slighted by Siqueiros/INBA/CONACULTA. the Presidential decree. In the name of the members of the Society of Mexi that the Society has planned for the can painters and Sculptors, Gerardo Centennial Year".5 Murillo –the future Dr. Atl– wrote to Not only did [Rivas] Mercado let Director Rivas Mercado, July 18, asking the young patriots have the use of him for the use of "the classroom of first year of architecture, the exhibition 4Boletin de Instrucción Pública, T. XV, 1910, hall, and the corridors of the second p, 710. 5 floor, to make possible the exhibition Archives S.C., 1910-18. 199 so contributed Anahuac, a life-size Indian silhouetted againts the dawn. Orozco was represented by cartoons and char coal drawings, now lost, but recorded in print in the official memorial album of the festivities, "J.T. [sic] Orozco exhibits many caricatures and compositions. The former are typical, of strong draftsmans hip, with lines bold and firm, supremely expressive and full of very deep inten tions. The latter are in the same vein. Their tormented and convulsive attitu des bring somehow to mind Rodin's drawings".7 One senses justified pride in the thanks that the Association sent [Rivas] Mercado at the close of the show: "The signers, members of the Society of Mexican Painters and Sculptors, are deeply grateful for the active and great good will with which you helped us rea lize this first exhibition of National Art". Los elementos, 1922-1923, Foto: Archivo The letter is signed by Gerardo Murillo Fotográfico Manuel Toussaint/IIE. as manager, and, among the members, by Orozco.8 the building, but he also contributed The Society celebrated further 300 pesos of his own towards expen with a "victory" dinner held in Santa ses. In turn, Justo Sierra, Secretary of Anita, to thank Murillo for his exer Education managed to add a subven tions. Besides hot chile dishes there tion of 3,000 pesos.6 must have been more than soft drinks, Hung without fanfare in the corri if we may judge from a news photo dors of the school, this Show of Works graph of gesticulating artists hoisting of National Art overshadows in retros a beaming bearded Murillo onto their pect the other, more blatant, display of swaying shoulders, with Orozco at the Spanish painting. In the Academy show, racial consciousness anticipated the crea 6 tion of a truly Mexican style. Saturnino Ibid. 3. 7Genaro García, Crónica oficial de las Herrán exhibited The Legend of the Vol fiestas del primer centenario, México, 1911. 8 200 canoes, after an Indian myth; Jorge Enci Archives S.C., 1910-19: "Circulares". bottom of the pile, facing the camera with the novel political trend. They also and squinting in the sun. rebelled at having to pay instructor for Orozco's further studies at the each of the mimeographed sheets Academy of San Carlos spanned the that served as makeshift textbooks, more tempestuous days of the mili comparing them disdainfully with the tary Revolution. If the artist gained, penny sheets of the publisher Vanegas then and there, the knowledge he Arroyo, blind to wat meaning future expected to gain of anatomy and of generations would read in these folk perspective, he also came, as a stu productions. dent, in astonishingly close contact As the strike spread, the janitor with the dynamics of civil war that was increasingly busy tearing subver constitute the other pole of his com sive posters and slogans off the walls plex stylistic formation. and dumping them on the desk of The fall of porfirio Díaz –after the Director, from where they even a semi-benevolent dictatorship that tually found their way safely into the lasted nearly forty years– happened archives. One of the mildest of these soon after the Centennial festivities. papers, hastily scrawled in blue ink His political opponent, Francisco I. and still gummed at the back, reads, Madero, made a triumphal entry "Because of the stupidity of Professor into the Capital in mid-1911, bowing Vergara Lope, no one should attend to cheering crowds from a landau the class of anatomy". drawn by white percherons and man With the fall of Díaz, his brain ned by liveried coachmen. The young trust of technocrats, nicknamed by art students, drunk with the taste of the masses los científicos –the scien new freedom, lustfully injected unrest tific ones– fell equally into discredit. in the hallowed routine of the shel Another school pasquin ended loud tered Academy. As studies suffered, and raw, in true revolutionary style, "... the faculty retaliated with demerits. In Long live Democracy! Down with the May, 1911, in the contest of coloring, scientific ones in this school! Freedom a class taught by Germán Gedovius, of election. Liberty and Constitution. Orozco failed to pass.9 "Mexico, July 15 of the Year of The next month, a great student Freedoms."10 strike began. It paralleled within the August 17, an ominous plea from school the political revolution that was Francisco Urquídi, the school secre to rage for a decade outside its walls. tary, reached General Rodrigo Valdés, At first, the strike was limited to the Chief of Police of Mexico City, "... Plea class of anatomy taught by Don Daniel Vergara Lope. His students objected 9Archives S. C., 1911-29: "Concursos". 10 to his dictatorial leanings, at variance Both papers, Íbid. 1911-36. 201 gallantry, if not with coolnes. His own version of the affray, redacted that same day for his superior, the Secretary of Education, Don Justo Sierra, still exists in the archives. It is a first draft, and hard to read, scrawled that it was in the heat of righteous indignation, and filled with era sures and corrections meant to preser ve dignity in the midst of mild ridicule:

As I reached, this noon, the Institu tion, together with my lady, I was faced by a group of dissatisfied stu dents voicing threats and insults. Far from intimidated, I descended from my automobile and, immediately, was attacked by the strikers who hurled various missiles –eggs, tomatoes, sto nes and other things. One of the projectiles hit me on the nose, pro ducing a nose bleed. Though under attack, I advanced towards the wroup, my objective being to catch one of them; this I managed to do in the person of trouble-maker Francisco Rangel. The Detalle. Escuela Nacional Preparatoria. rest policeman holding Rangel Foto: Pedro Cuevas, Archivo Fotográfico ....In the street, they continued proffe Manuel Toussaint/IIE. ring insults, notwithstanding the pre sence of my wife who having scatte red, I proceed on foot towards the se send us four policemen to keep second police precinct, accompanied order in the Institution. A number of by a followed me in the automobile. The chauffeur was manhandled and discontented students station themsel a striker, wrenching free the hood of ves by the door at 7 P.M., to dissuade one of the lanterns, threw it at my their schoolmates from entering".11 wife inside the automobile...12 August 28, undaunted by police measures, the strikers staged mayhem upon the director. Though handicap 11Íbid., 1911-13: "Corespondencia del ped both by his age and his girth, Rivas Secretario Francisco Urquídi". 12 202 Mercado withstood the assault with Íbid., 1911-36. The strike was still on when, school of Fine Arts, the whole Insti eight months after the affray, stub tution would collapse instantly. Once born Rivas Mercado resigned. Oroz insured the organic equilibrium of co, now thir ty years old, acted the students, they would lose inte throughout the disorders as elder rest in such intellectual masturba counsellor to his fellow students, tions as are the sole fruit, up to now, who were mostly still in their teens. of all academic institutions. "I intend A news snapshot shows him holding to reorganize this so-called School a sheaf of diplomatic looking papers of Fine Arts along practical lines, and peering owlishly through thick changing its name to that of works lenses, ready to enter the office of hop, where workers will be able to the Secretary of Education for an do three things: bathe, work, and attempt at mediation. make money".13 President Madero was shot in Orozco felt grateful towards Atl, 1913. His successor, General Huer who acclaimed him as already a great ta, was in turn forcefully removed artist, and decided to follow his poli by First Chief Carranza. The latters's tical fortunes. When the troops of choice to head the school fell on Pancho Villa, closing on the Capital, Gerardo Murillo –alias Dr. Atl. Forth forced Carranza and his followers right documents remain in the archi to take refuge in the State of Vera ves that tell of Atl's tempestuous pas cruz, Atl followed, and established a sage through the school, backed by "school in exile" in Orizaba. La Van the vivid memories of those who guardia was printed there; it was a worked with him. sheet meant to bolster the morale A memorandum, dated October of the troops in the field, illustrated 6, 1914, was sent by Atl to Ingeniero mostly by Orozco. F. Palavicini, Secretary of Education: "I The next mention of Orozco will submit a plan of total reorganiza dates of the next decade. January tion of the so-called teaching of the 12, 1922, the Director of the School, Fine Arts, beginning naturally with a Ramos Martínez wrote to José Vas thorough clean-up of teachers, class- concelos, Secretary of Education, rooms and store-rooms, given that "I earnestly recommend that you everything within the school is filthy name the citizen José Clemente dirty". Orozco to the post of fourth Profes Another note, addressed to the sor of Elementary Drawing. Vacant Inspector General Of physical Edu at present, the post is already inclu cation, was writen that same day: "I can assure you that, if ever a class of 13Both papers, Íbid., 1914-1: "Asuntos physical culture was started in this varios". 203 ded in the budget of expenses for wording of most of these documents the current year". makes it doubtful that Orozco, or any The request was granted, and of the other artists-teachers, always Orozco taught night class, for a daily knew what they were about. Typical is stipend of 7.00 pesos. The class was an unnumbered circular, issued January attended by fifteen students.14 18, 1923, "Incumbent to the initial pay ment of salary to Federal employees, Do you swear to fulfill loyally and Paragraph 82 of the Law promulgated patriotically the post of that the ____ May 23, 1910, specifies that a copy Constitutional president has con of the corresponding nomination be ferred upon you; to be zealous in everything and care for the major produced. This provision was rende good and prosperity of our Union? red obsolete after the Fundamental The person thus interrogated having Charter creating the post of Contro answered, 'I swear it,' the Citizen ller General became operative, but, Secretary proceeded, 'Should you subsequently, the dispositions therein fail to do so, the Nation will bring you to account for it."15 included have been revalidated by Circular No. 25, issued by this Depart ment ..." This text being a standard printed Other texts were clear enough, form, with only the particulars of the such as No. 5, issued February 6, "After job left blank, to be filled in each indi the second unjustified fault committed vidual case by hand, one may doubt by a member of the faculty of an insti that this impressive scene ever took tution of learning, a fine will be levied, place. However, the filled-in form is to be in a ratio proportionate to the duly signed by José Vasconcelos for amount of his salary, to be repeated the Government, and by Orozco as for each further offense ..." its employee. Circular No. 13, April 23, "Notice As assistant draftsman, Orozco has come to this Ministry that a num took a small part in the publication of ber of teachers and employees of the the Classics in a low price edition that School in your charge fulfill their duties was one of philosopher Vasconcelos' with slackness, arriving late to work or favored projects. The artist designed failing altogether to come ..."16 the chapter-heads and tail-pieces of the Dante. 14Nomination, Íbid., 1922-105: "Personal As teacher of elementary drawing, docente de las clases nocturnas". Report on class, Orozco dutifully put his signature to a Íbid., 1922-75. The report is dated April, 1922. 15 number of the collective circulars that Archivos de la Secretaría de Educa ción, 1-25-10-63.1/131(IV-3)/80.0 all members of the faculty were bid 16All circulars, archives S.C., 1923-14, 204 to read and to sign. The bureaucratic "Circulares". El entierro del obrero sacrificado, 1923-1924. Escuela Nacional Preparatoria. Foto: Archivo Fotográfico Manuel Toussaint/ IIE.

The last of the circulars that José Clemente Orozco, 316 W. 23rd St. New York City, NY USA. Orozco signed, and thus the last To the President of the National Uni that he presumably read, is No. 17 versity of México. announcing a faculty meeting to The petitioner, professor of mode be held June 6, 1923. It is doubtful ling in night class at the Academy of that he attended it, and probable Fine Arts states: that from then on, Orozco could That, finding himself in this City for the purpose of opening an exhibi have been described by strict tion of his works, and needing to bureaucrats as "... arriving late to remain for a while in foreign parts, work or failing altogether to come he requests that you be willing to ... "for, on June 7, he began the grant him a leave of absence wit fulltime work on the mural deco hout pay, valid for six months; its ration of the main patio of the purpose that of dedicating himself to the previously mentioned acti Preparatoria school, having com vities ... pleted the gigantic plan and some of the detailed studies in the little New York City, NY time left between his two clerical February 1, 1928 17 jobs. José Clemente Orozco One last document marks the turning point in Orozco's career, 17Archivos de la Universidad Nacio when he stepped from the local sta nal. Archivo general, carpeta 1562. Orozco's ge of his patria into the spotlight of show opened at the Marie Sterner Galleries, international fame: on 57th Street, in June, 1928. 205 II students in daily contact with Mexi can subject-matter. Though arrived at Alfaro Siqueiros wistfully states that with all the gentleness that characte he was scarcely big enough to take rized his actions, this was a true revo part in the great strike of 1911 at the lution against the modish attitude of Academy of San Carlos. He admits in local connoisseurs who advocated an conversation that, "... all I did then was increasing dependency on recognized to throw a few stones at things or at European masters, men of the caliber people, and little else". Somewhat at of Gér-me, Roybet and Meissonier. odds with this self-effacing admission is [Ramos] Mar tínez stated his the fact that Siqueiros –then thirteen aims in a letter to the Secretary years old– landed in jail with some of of Public Education, September 29, the ring leaders, there to be consoled 1913, "It is the wish of the Direction by a gift of chocolates from an anony of the Academy that its students of mous well-wisher. painting work from the model, and The next year, 1912, he weathe in direct contact with nature, in loca red successfully his examination in a tions where the foliage and perpec branch of painting in which he was tive effects be true the character of indeed to become a master, "Class our patria. of chiaroscuro: Alfaro, José David. Pas "The aim is to awake the enthu sing grade".18 siasm of the students for the beauty The artist dates his first mature of our own land, thus giving birth to remembrances as a student from the an art worthy of being called genui year 1913, in the days of President Huer nely national ..." Following this premi ta. In an election freely held by both tea se, [Ramos] Martínez asked permis chers and students, Ramos Martínez sion to take students away from the –who was the candidate of the antiaca twilight of the classroom into the demic element within the Academy– sunlight of the countryside.19 won the Directorship of the school. At Permission was obtained and a lea that time and in that milieu his style of se signed, October 17, for a house and painting, courting, as it did, Whistler and garden on the outskirts of Mexico City, Impressionism, carried the impact of a "The Direction of the National Academy revolutionary manifesto. of Fine Arts is renting the house situated Irrelevant of a style that [Ramos] on Hidalgo Street, No. 25 ... in the village Martínez himself would outgrow, it of Santa Anita Ixtapalapa, that includes proved of crucial importance for the generation of Siqueiros that the new 18Archives of San Carlos, 1912-19: "Con Director already thought in terms of cursos". 19 206 a Mexican art, and strived to put his Íbid., 1913-21: "Clase en Santa Anita". El llamado a la a la libertad, 1924. Foto: Archivo CNCRPAM/INBA. dining-room, bedroom, front room, corri the many open-air schools that flou dor and garden. A class of painting will rished in Mexico during the nineteen- be installed there, marking possible the twenties. Flushed with the memories direct study from nature ..., The monthly of a stay in Paris and a Salon Medal, rental to be 30.00".20 [Ramos] Martínez stressed the French Thus was started the now famous 20 school of Santa Anita, forerunner of Íbid. 207 flavor in his teaching, though not Twofold were the recorded acti in the choice of subject-matter. He vities of Siqueiros at Barbizon. His encouraged his students by addres schoolmates still speak of his extra sing each after the name of a famous vagant adolescent appetite that led master, Renoir, Manet, Monet, even him to Machiavellian plots: he exal Cézanne. The school itself he dubbed ted loudly the esthetic virtues of "Barbizon", to underline the rustic still-life painting, and especially the character of the surroundings whe rendering of fruits and other edi rein this zealous group of landscapists bles; then, often without waiting for labored. Photographs show easels set a friend to finish a picture, Siqueiros around the chipped azulejos fountain borrowed and stealthily devoured in the center of the open patio. Plas the models. Not denying this, the ter casts transferred there from the artist prefers to tell how, under the storerooms of the Academy vied in cloack of protection spread by the attractiveness with live Indian models, gentle unworldlines of [Ramos] Mar and all were set against a natural back tínez, there were underground poli drop of upright poplars, mirrored in tical meetings at Barbizon, where the shimmering waters of the Santa plots were hatched against the dicto Anita canal. rial Huerta regime. Dating from that period, a mimeo Between eating, conspiring, and graphed form with manuscript addi presumably painting, Siqueiros passed tions constitutes Siqueiro’s earliest at the school most the day and much autobiography: of the night, and his sedate father wondered at this excess of zeal: Birthplace: Chihuahua City, State of Chihuahua. December 17, 1913. Age: 17. Señor Don Alfredo Ramos Martínez, Residence: Fifth Street of Altamirano, Director of the National Academy No. 101. of Fine Arts. Father: Cipriano Alfaro Most esteemed Sir, Residence: Same address. It is as the father of student José Occupation: Student. David Alfaro that I make bold to intru Diplomas: High School. de on your busy time. Could you let When first registered in this shool: me know until what hours of the 1912. night do the students stay in this Aca Curriculum: The undersigned is demy or house of Santa Anita. Indeed, currently a student at Barbizon, in this son of mine returns home hapha the classes of painting. zardly, more often than not after 10 Mexico, March 4, 1914. 21 Petitioner: José D. Alfaro.21 Íbid., 1914: "Inscripciones de alumnos 208 numerarios". P.M., and at other times I do not even until countermanded, there will be know when; always swearing that only in this school no more live models. his studies keep him there. Mexico, September 12, 1914 ... Dr. Your answer will doubtless contribute 24 to the order that should reign in the Atl". home. My questions are born of the In the revolutionary free-for-all, Pan imperious duty that is mine to watch cho Villa got the upper hand soon after over the conduct of my son as well as that. Siqueiros, siding with the beaten care for his health, bound to be adver Carranza, was one of the group of sely affected by the irregularity of sleep and meal times. I trust that you will not San Carlos students who fled from the refuse me the data asked for. Capital to provincial Orizaba. Feeling Receive my anticipated thanks ... as yet not close enough to the battle field, Siqueiros left the group for forth 22 Cipriano Alfaro. right military pursuits, the youngest offi cer on the staff of General Diéguez, [Ramos] Martínez answered: steady foe of Villa. The painter proved a good soldier, and his companions-at- Your son, the young José David Alfa arms considered his art his only weak ro, assists indeed at the classes of ness. Once, when Siqueiros offered to painting from nature given in Santa sketch General Diéguez, the crusty old Anita under my supervision, but only in the useful hours of the day. That is man exploded, "I will not have my pho before nightfall. tograph taken by a boy still wet behind A few students have received from the ears!" the Ministry of Education and Fine Carranza once more ascended Arts small allowances that help them to power, and this time he felt sea further their studies, and they have permission to live on the premises ted securely enough in the Presiden where the classes are given. They tial chair to reward the faithfuls of remain there as in an internate, but leaner days. When the turn of Siquei your son is not among them ...23 ros came, his dual aptitude was duly acknowledged: as a young officer of When, on the shifting political the Revolution, he received a small scene, First Chief Carranza ousted diplomatic plum for his expected President Huerta, [Ramos] Martínez share; as a promising young artist was replaced at the school by Dr. Atl. and ex-student of the Academy, he Unlike [Ramos] Martínez, who wis hed to bring his students in closer contact with nature and local color, 22 Atl meant to strengthen their ima Íbid., 1914-10: "Correspondencia del Director". gination along cosmic lines. Hence, 23Íbid. 24 "Operative from this date, and valid Íbid., 1914-1: "Asuntos varios". 209 was given, as also was customary, a ... I received this help for only five fellowship to further his studies of months; that is a barely sufficient painting in Europe. time to orient my efforts in the In practice, this double award artistic milieu of Paris, and it is a totally insufficient one to do the proved cumbersome. Later on, in same in the artistic milieu of Euro a letter to José Vasconcelos, presi pe. Nevertheless, I have worked dent of the National University, sent zealously to prepare an exhibition from Paris and dated September 29, of my pictures that is to open at the Galleries Bernheim Jeune this 1921, Siqueiros reminisced on these 26 quandaries, forth coming May.

... The Government of Señor Carran Meanwhile, Vasconcelos, up to za ... sent me to Barcelona in the qua then President of the University, was lity of First Chancellor of the Mexi making ready to head the newly crea can Consulate, and with the added character of art-fellow. ted Ministry of Education. He was The turn given to the affair did put rounding up the best of Mexican me in a difficult position. I was requi artist –musicians, painters and poets– red to make act of presence at the to launch the cultural renaissance that offices of the Consulate from 9 A.M. was his favored topic; and he sensed to 7 p.M., and thus found myself unable, during the year and a half that restless Siqueiros might prove that this situation lasted, to fulfill the a worthy factor. Vasconcelos wrote object of my trip. to the young artist a soothing letter, When Señor Obregón became Pre octuber 22, 1921: sident of the Republic, I started ges tions through my friend and com ... José Vasconcelos salutes his estee panion, Juan de Dios Bojorquez med friend, Señor Alfaro Siqueiros –at present the representative of our ... and states that it is with pleasure country in Honduras–, to remedy a that the pension will be continued situation that was sufficiently abnor for the whole of the coming year, mal to wreck both the internal mecha thus enabling him to further his pic nism of the Consulate and my perso torial studies in Europe. nal ambitions. As the agreement now He [ Vasconcelos] also asserts that stands, the University over which you if at any time Siqueiros wishes so ably preside grants me a monthly to return, he may rest assured of pension of 300 pesos. To accept this making headway here also and of new arrangement, I had to discard a salary much superior ...25 25Archives of the Ministry of Education: Siqueiros was writing under the "Siqueiros,1-21-6-10", for this letter and the following nine documents. apprehension that pension was to be 26Archives of San Carlos, 1923-114: 210 cancelled soon: "Partes del Conserje". creating for himself a position supe pe, including that of Siqueiros, would rior even to what he could hope for become truly critical. in those [other] tired countries. January 5, 1922, Vasconcelos, now Secretary of Education, wrote in ear Siqueiros, failing to realize from nest of his plans to Siqueiros, and this distant Europe the magnitude of the time made an imprint on the young Mexican project, overlooked the artist’s mind. Though the original let artful bait by which the risen politi ter is now lost, we may surmise its cian sought to speed his return. The importance from the answer of the painter clung instead to the idea of painter, dated February 2: pension and of a Paris show, and enlisted to the purpose the help To Licenciado Don José Vasconce of his trusted friend, Juan de Dios los, Secretary of Public Education, Bojorquez: Mexico. ... Answering yours of Juanary 5, whe rein you state that you do not think Legation of the United States of timely my plans for an exhibition. Mexico in Honduras. Tegucigalpa, Before anything else, I must since November 9, 1921. rely confess that the enthusiasm that Señor Don José Vasconcelos, presi your letter breathes intensifies my dent of the National University. great desire to return to the patria, ... Alfaro also states that, if he could there to collaborate with all my be assured of his pension for one resources to the common task. or two more years the Government I am in total agreement with your could bank on his gratitude; that he basic idea, "To create a new civi would doubtless add luster to the lization extracted from the very name of Mexico in foreign parts. His bowels of Mexico", and firmly belie confidence in his own talent is unsha ve that our youths will rally to this kable and there is also the fact he is banner ... When I asked for a furt a born worker. herance of my pension, I meant to I earnestly beg you not to forsake study part of that year in Italy and Alfaro Siqueiros, ex-captain in the part in Spain before returning to Revolution, great dreamer, and futu Mexico; but your intelligent initiative re national glory ... in matters esthetic has given me A LONGING TO RETURN SOONER Juan de Dios Bojórquez THAN THAT TO THE FATHER LAND AND TO START WORK December 19, it was the turn THERE ... of Señor González, Mexican Consul in Paris, to lobby for art’s sake. He wired Vasconcelos that, if money was Though agreeing in principle with not urgently sent, the situation of the the blue-print of a Mexican cultural Mexican art-fellows stranded in Euro renaissance so suddenly displayed 211 before his eyes, Siqueiros hesitated to amount is approximately what I throw overboard the memory of the intend to spend on art materials, and it would mean a substantial eco treasures so recently contacted in nomy to buy them here as they France and Spain, and he gave voice cost much more there, and besides to these reservations: I could not find there the brand that I use. ... As concerns us, Mexicans and May I remind you that, two and Latin-Americans in general, a know a half years ago, I was sent to the ledge of the artistic tradition of Consulate of Barcelona with the cha Europe –that is also in part our racter of art-fellow, and with travel tradition– and of its contemporary expenses paid for. Given this prece trends remains pertinent, inasmuch dent, I ask the necessary allowance as it illustrates the workings of an for my return ... unavoidable universal process accor din to which the Europeans are Vasconcelos to Siqueiros, today the masters. Yesterday, it was the turn of the Orient; tomorrow February 27, 1922: will be our turn. We cannot pull ... Your plans seem very good and apart whithout fatal consequences, I have advised the Department of as this evolution obeys genesic laws, Pensions to take them into account. and also because our racial individua In case you decide to come back in lity emerges clarified and strengthe May or at mid-year, we will forward ned by comparison. To witness our racial individuality emerges clarified your travel expenses as soon as you and strengthened by comparison. wire us concerning your return ... We To witness Europe’s actual archieve will send a sum of 1200 pesos, and ment is to touch the very wound of you may apart some of it towards its decadence and to acquire faith material expenses ... in our future ... We are at the mee Siqueiros wired Vasconcelos, April ting ground between Orient and Occident, between rationalism and 16, "SUM NEEDED RETURN MEXI sensuousness, and this fact should CO NEXT BOAT SITUATION PARIS mold the character of our own civi CONSULATE MOST URGENT". lization. The next day, Vasconcelos sent Siqueiros one thousand pesos, specif In the balance of the letter, Siquei ying that they be used "to return to ros delineated his new plans, inclu Mexico". ding a show to be held, this time, in July 6, Siqueiros, from Rome, wrote Mexico City; also, to Vasconcelos a lengthy plea: the artist had spent so much money on art mate ... could you advance me here 700 rials that he had not enough left to buy pesos to be discounted at the rate of 100 pesos per month from the his return ticket, "... You will see that I am 212 300 monthly that I receive. This faced with a grave defalcation ... I am in José Clemente Orozco, Fuerzas revolucionarias, 1924-1926. Escuela Nacional Preparatoria. Foto: Archivo Fotográfico Manuel Toussaint/IIE. danger of having to stay in Madrid, whe Collegio Chico (sic), a cluster of walls re I will arrive in a few days , and in very and vaults, curved or slanted, that sharp money difficulties ..." lends itself to further optical elabora Patient Vasconcelos advanced tions. His first realized panel, The Spirit the needed sum, cautiously stating of Occident Alighting on the Americas, however that, if Siqueiros failed to shows, in its chiaroscuro both soft return this time, his pension was to and strong, the impact made on the cease automatically. Siqueiros arrived artist’s mind and eye by the frescoes in Mexico City in August. of Masaccio. At that date, the mural renais The opportunity to paint this sance was already under way, with first mural, heading as it did Siqueiros a handful of muralists at work on towards the carrier that best suited his the walls of the Preparatoria School. monumental gifts, already fulfilled poten Joining them, Siqueiros chose for him tially the promise made by the Secre self one of its stairwells, that of the tary of, "... a position superior even to 213 what he [ Siqueiros] could hope for in those [other] tired countries". Financial plenty, that had at least been hinted at, proved more elusive. Official demands for money to be spent on the painting of murals were camouflaged artfully to pass, when pos sible, the scrutiny of a Congress whose heart was lost to the military, and that remained quite immune to esthetics. At the time that Siqueiros worked on his first set of murals, he was paid 3.00 [pesos] per day as, "Teacher No. 59 of Drawing and Manual Crafts"; he also was "Assistant to the Director of the Department of plastic Workshops", a Directorship that, in turn, had been specifically created by Vasconcelos to provide a living for Diego Rivera; a little later, Siqueiros also turned up as, "Assistant smith in the bronze foundry attached to the Department of Fine Arts", a job that paid him 6.00 [pesos] per day. When documents are the only source of knowledge, one must, at times, be led to false conclusions,

214 Documentos David Alfaro Siqueiros en la Escuela Nacional Preparatoria con Graciela Amador, Gontier, Contreras, Posadas, Chon Hernández, Escobar y otros líderes obreros cuando se constituye la Confederación Sindical Unitaria de México, 1929. Foto: Acervo Sala de Arte Público Siqueiros/ INBA/CONACULTA.