Orozco, José Clemente, << oh ROHS koh, hoh SAY klay MAYN tay >> (1883-1949), was a Mexican painter. He became known for murals that use themes from Mexico’s history. Orozco’s style emphasizes human figures portrayed with strong lines, dramatic angles, and brownish colors.
Orozco was born in Zapotlan on Nov. 23, 1883. He spent his early career drawing political and satirical cartoons. In the early 1920’s, Orozco and several other Mexican artists began painting frescoes on walls in public buildings (see Fresco ). Unlike the work of fellow muralists Diego Rivera and David Siqueiros, Orozco’s frescoes seldom contain political messages. Instead, his paintings express his reaction to the suffering and struggles of common people everywhere.
In the 1930’s, Orozco turned to a more abstract style. Examples of this style include the murals called Epic of New World Culture (1932-1934) in the Dartmouth College library in Hanover, New Hampshire, and murals in public buildings in Guadalajara and Mexico City. Orozco died on Sept. 7, 1949.
