Throughout his sixty-year career, Mexican artist Diego Rivera (1886-1957) produced some of the most distinctive and socially powerful works in modern art. Most famous for his murals, his monumental frescos gave life to revolutionary themes, championing the causes of the oppressed. Rivera used portraiture throughout his career to make personal, artistic and political statements, as well as to convey his Communistic beliefs and opinions. In addition to being a painter, Rivera was also a skilled printmaker, sculptor and book illustrator.