My Art, My Life

An Autobiography

Diego Rivera, with Gladys March, with Gladys March

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• eBook ISBN:
  9780486139098
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Artist Monographs

"Engrossing as a novel … throws a clear white light on one of the most spectacular artists of our time." — Chicago Sunday Tribune
This remarkable autobiography began with a newspaper interview the artist gave journalist Gladys March in 1944. From then until the artist's death in 1957, she spent several months each year with Rivera, eventually filling 2,000 pages with his recollections and interpretations of his art and life. Written in the first person, this book is a richly revealing document of the painter who revolutionized modern mural painting, was a principal figure in launching the "Mexican Renaissance," and is ranked among the most influential artists of the twentieth century.
As the colorful narrative unfolds, Diego Rivera seems always to be in the midst of political, artistic, and romantic turmoil. As the reviewer for The New Republic observed, "Rivera reveals a keen appreciation of this prowess in art, sex, and politics, and the record seems to be complete on the series of spectacular rows he got into over all three."
The book details his bold confrontations with dictators and presidents, the battles that erupted over his murals in Rockefeller Center and the Hotel del Prado, his tempestuous marriages to Lupe Marin and artist Frida Kahlo, and much, much more. "There is no lack of exciting material. A lover at nine, a cannibal at 18, by his own account, Rivera was prodigiously productive of art and controversy." — San Francisco Chronicle. 21 halftones.

A CATALOG OF SELECTED
DOVER BOOKS
IN ALL FIELDS OF INTEREST

CONCERNING THE SPIRITUAL IN ART, Wassily Kandinsky. Pioneering work by father of abstract art. Thoughts on color theory, nature of art. Analysis of earlier masters. 12 illustrations. 80pp. of text. 5

× 8½.

0-486-23411-8

CELTIC ART: The Methods of Construction, George Bain. Simple geometric techniques for making Celtic interlacements, spirals, Kells-type initials, animals, humans, etc. Over 500 illustrations. 160pp. 9 × 12. (Available in U.S. only.)

0-486-22923-8

AN ATLAS OF ANATOMY FOR ARTISTS, Fritz Schider. Most thorough reference work on art anatomy in the world. Hundreds of illustrations, including selections from works by Vesalius, Leonardo, Goya, Ingres, Michelangelo, others. 593 illustrations. 192pp. 7

× 10¼.

0-486-20241-0

CELTIC HAND STROKE-BY-STROKE (Irish Half-Uncial from “The Book of Kells”): An Arthur Baker Calligraphy Manual, Arthur Baker. Complete guide to creating each letter of the alphabet in distinctive Celtic manner. Covers hand position, strokes, pens, inks, paper, more. Illustrated. 48pp. 8¼ × 11.

0-486-24336-2

EASY ORIGAMI, John Montroll. Charming collection of 32 projects (hat, cup, pelican, piano, swan, many more) specially designed for the novice origami hobbyist. Clearly illustrated easy-to-follow instructions insure that even beginning papercrafters will achieve successful results. 48pp. 8¼ × 11.

0-486-27298-2

BLOOMINGDALE’S ILLUSTRATED 1886 CATALOG: Fashions, Dry Goods and Housewares, Bloomingdale Brothers. Famed merchants’ extremely rare catalog depicting about 1,700 products: clothing, housewares, firearms, dry goods, jewelry, more. Invaluable for dating, identifying vintage items. Also, copyright-free graphics for artists, designers. Co-published with Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village. 160pp. 8¼ × 11.

0-486-25780-0

THE ART OF WORLDLY WISDOM, Baltasar Gracian. “Think with the few and speak with the many,” “Friends are a second existence,” and “Be able to forget” are among this 1637 volume’s 300 pithy maxims. A perfect source of mental and spiritual refreshment, it can be opened at random and appreciated either in brief or at length. 128pp. 5

× 8½.

0-486-44034-6

JOHNSON’S DICTIONARY: A Modern Selection, Samuel Johnson (E. L. McAdam and George Milne, eds.). This modern version reduces the original 1755 edition’s 2,300 pages of definitions and literary examples to a more manageable length, retaining the verbal pleasure and historical curiosity of the original. 480pp.

× 8¼.

0-486-44089-3

ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, Mark Twain, Illustrated by E. W. Kemble. A work of eternal richness and complexity, a source of ongoing critical debate, and a literary landmark, Twain’s 1885 masterpiece about a barefoot boy’s journey of self-discovery has enthralled readers around the world. This handsome clothbound reproduction of the first edition features all 174 of the original black-and-white illustrations. 368pp. 5

× 8½.

0-486-44322-1

STICKLEY CRAFTSMAN FURNITURE CATALOGS, Gustav Stickley and L. & J. G. Stickley. Beautiful, functional furniture in two authentic catalogs from 1910. 594 illustrations, including 277 photos, show settles, rockers, armchairs, reclining chairs, bookcases, desks, tables. 183pp. 6½ × 9¼.

0-486-23838-5

AMERICAN LOCOMOTIVES IN HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS: 1858 to 1949, Ron Ziel (ed.). A rare collection of 126 meticulously detailed official photographs, called “builder portraits,” of American locomotives that majestically chronicle the rise of steam locomotive power in America. Introduction. Detailed captions. xi+ 129pp. 9 × 12.

0-486-27393-8

AMERICA’S LIGHTHOUSES: An Illustrated History, Francis Ross Holland, Jr. Delightfully written, profusely illustrated fact-filled survey of over 200 American lighthouses since 1716. History, anecdotes, technological advances, more. 240pp. 8 × 10¾.

0-486-25576-X

TOWARDS A NEW ARCHITECTURE, Le Corbusier. Pioneering manifesto by founder of “International School.” Technical and aesthetic theories, views of industry, economics, relation of form to function, “mass-production split” and much more. Profusely illustrated. 320pp. 6

× 9¼. (Available in U.S. only.)

0-486-25023-7

HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES, Jacob Riis. Famous journalistic record, exposing poverty and degradation of New York slums around 1900, by major social reformer. 100 striking and influential photographs. 233pp. 10 × 7

.

0-486-22012-5

FRUIT KEY AND TWIG KEY TO TREES AND SHRUBS, William M. Harlow. One of the handiest and most widely used identification aids. Fruit key covers 120 deciduous and evergreen species; twig key 160 deciduous species. Easily used. Over 300 photographs. 126pp. 5

× 8½.

0-486-20511-8

COMMON BIRD SONGS, Dr. Donald J. Borror. Songs of 60 most common U.S. birds: robins, sparrows, cardinals, bluejays, finches, more—arranged in order of increasing complexity. Up to 9 variations of songs of each species.

Cassette and manual 0-486-99911-4

ORCHIDS AS HOUSE PLANTS, Rebecca Tyson Northen. Grow cattleyas and many other kinds of orchids—in a window, in a case, or under artificial light. 63 illustrations. 148pp. 5

× 8½.

0-486-23261-1

MONSTER MAZES, Dave Phillips. Masterful mazes at four levels of difficulty. Avoid deadly perils and evil creatures to find magical treasures. Solutions for all 32 exciting illustrated puzzles. 48pp. 8¼ × 11.

0-486-26005-4

MOZART’S DON GIOVANNI (DOVER OPERA LIBRETTO SERIES), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Introduced and translated by Ellen H. Bleiler. Standard Italian libretto, with complete English transla...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• IN GRATITUDE
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Foreword
• GEOGRAPHICAL, GENEALOGICAL
• TALE OF A GOAT AND A MOUSE
• THE THREE OLD GENTLEMEN WELCOME THE NEW ICONOCLAST
• MY THREE AMBITIONS
• I BEGIN TO DRAW
• WE MOVE TO MEXICO CITY
• SCHOOLS
• MY FIRST EXPERIENCE OF LOVE
• THE BEGINNING AND END OF A MILITARY CAREER
• AT THE SAN CARLOS SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS
• THREE EARLY MASTERS
• POSADA
• PRE-CONQUEST ART
• AN EXPERIMENT IN CANNIBALISM
• MY FIRST GRANT
• MURILLO ATL
• PASSAGE OF ANGER
• MY SPANISH FRIENDS
• DESOLATE LANDSCAPES
• CHECKBOOKS IN MY FINGERS
• ART STUDENT IN PARIS
• PRIVATE PROPERTY
• NO MORE CÉZANNES
• THE SUN WORSHIPPERS OF BRUGES
• BEGGARS IN TOP HATS
• A QUALIFIED SUCCESS
• WHERE I WAS IN 1910
• HOMECOMING!
• A WITCHCRAFT CURE
• REVOLUTIONARY WITH A PAINTBOX
• A PLOT TO KILL DIAZ
• DEHESA
• SEA DUTY
• REUNION WITH ANGELINE
• PICASSO
• WAR
• YOUR PAINTING IS LIKE THE OTHERS’!
• MARIEVNA
• AN END AND A BEGINNING
• IN ITALY
• I AM REBORN: 1921
• LUPE
• AN APPARITION OF FRIDA
• THE MEXICAN RENAISSANCE
• THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND CHAPINGO
• HITLER
• STALIN
• MOSCOW SKETCHES
• AN INSPIRATION
• H. P.
• THE ASSASSINATION OF JULIO MELLA
• I AM EXPELLED FROM THE PARTY
• CUERNAVACA
• FRIDA BECOMES MY WIFE
• A BID TO PAINT IN THE SAN FRANCISCO STOCK EXCHANGE
• ONE-MAN SHOW IN THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
• A VISIT WITH HENRY FORD
• THE BATTLE OF DETROIT
• FRIDA’S TRAGEDY
• HOLOCAUST IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER
• RECONSTRUCTION
• THE NAZIS LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH ME
• PANI LOSES AN EYE
• AN INVITATION FROM MUSSOLINI
• FRIDA: TRIUMPH AND ANGUISH
• TROTSKY
• THE ENORMOUS NECKTIE
• A VISIT WITH CHARLIE CHAPLIN
• A SALUTE BY THE U. S. NAVY
• TROTSKY AGAIN––DEAD
• A SECOND TIME WITH FRIDA
• MORE POPULAR THAN WENDELL WILLKIE
• PIN-UPS, SALOON STYLE
• A HOME FOR MY IDOLS
• A SUNDAY IN ALAMEDA PARK
• CARDINAL DOUGHERTY DEFENDS
• AFTERMATHS
• UNDERWATER
• ANOTHER STORM
• CANCER
• YET ANOTHER STORM
• FRIDA DIES
• EMMA—I AM HERE STILL
• APPENDIX
• INDEX
• A CATALOG OF SELECTED DOVER BOOKS IN ALL FIELDS OF INTEREST
• DOVER BOOKS ON ART, ART HISTORY