1 Body Of Art Painting One Of The Famous

In 1932, Nelson Rockefeller commissioned Mexican muralist Diego Rivera to paint a mural for the ground floor lobby of the Radio Corporation Arts Building in the Rockefeller Center. The painting was supposed to depict in Rockefeller's own words "Man at the Crossroads Looking with Hope and High Vision to the Choosing of a New and Better Future." Rivera proposed a 63-foot mural. He started working on the mural with the help of six assistants, in March 1933
"Man at the Crossroads" proved out to be one of the most groundbreaking works of Diego Rivera. The center of the painting portrayed a commanding industrial worker with his hands on the controls of heavy machinery. The crossroads were formed by two long narrow slides intersecting at the centre, right below the worker
One slide displayed a microscopic view of body cells, reflecting sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and another presented a telescopic view of the universe. The painting was roughly divided into two sections. The left panel showed elite people, especially women, enjoying, drinking, and partying. A contrast was reflected on the same side with a group of people protesting and being clubbed by the police
The right side of "Man at the Crossroads" showed a May Day parade with workers and people living in harmony. At the center of the left side, there was an image of Vladimir Lenin (Russian communist leader), as if joining hands in power with a black farmer, a white worker, and a soldier. The presence of Lenin in the painting hinted at an 'Anti-Capitalist' flavo
To avoid any kind of political controversy, Nelson Rockefeller requested Rivera to replace the face of Lenin with any ordinary face. Diego was an ardent fan of the Soviet leader and so he refused to replace Lenin in the painting. He instead offered to add American leader Abraham Lincoln's face to another part of the mural. Their differences were never resolved.