Mardonio Magaña-Camacho (c.1865–1947) also known as Magañita, was a Mexican educator and sculptor known for his

folk art Folk art covers all forms of visual art made in the context of folk culture. Definitions vary, but generally the objects have practical utility of some kind, rather than being exclusively decorative art, decorative. The makers of folk art a ...

stone direct carvings, he was also known to work with wood and mud. He was a self-taught artist inspired by nature, that was "discovered" by artist

Diego Rivera Diego Rivera (; December 8, 1886 – November 24, 1957) was a Mexican painter. His large frescoes helped establish the Mexican muralism, mural movement in Mexican art, Mexican and international art. Between 1922 and 1953, Rivera painted mural ...

. It's said that Diego Rivera was quoted as saying Magaña was, "the greatest contemporary Mexican sculptor".

Biography

Born between 1865 and 1866 in La Estancia Nueva,

Guanajuato Guanajuato, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato, is one of the 32 states that make up the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Guanajuato, 46 municipalities and its cap ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

to a

peasant A peasant is a pre-industrial agricultural laborer or a farmer with limited land-ownership, especially one living in the Middle Ages under feudalism and paying rent, tax, fees, or services to a landlord. In Europe, three classes of peasan ...

family, the son of Dolores Camacho and Jacinto Magaña. He spend most of his life working as a foreman at the property of Don Vincente Silva in his hometown. At age 52, after the devastation left by the

Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution () was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from 20 November 1910 to 1 December 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It saw the destruction of the Federal Army, its ...

he moved to the capital,

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

to find work. And in 1921, while working at an art school called Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre de Coyoacán (English: School of Outdoor Painting in Coyoacán) as a janitor, he started creating sculptures. Between 1925 and 1928 he becomes a general caretaker for the school and by 1929 he is promoted to professor of sculputure. Throughout the 1930s he held various teaching positions in Mexico. Magaña's artwork is included in museum and private art collections internationally some of which are;

Philadelphia Museum of Art The Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) is an List of art museums#North America, art museum originally chartered in 1876 for the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The main museum building was completed in 1928 on Fairmount, a hill located at ...

, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA),

National Museum of Mexican Art The National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA) is a museum featuring Mexico, Mexican and Chicano art and culture. It is located in Harrison Park in the Lower West Side, Chicago, Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, Chicago, Illinois. The museum ...

, the

Nelson A. Rockefeller Nelson Aldrich "Rocky" Rockefeller (July 8, 1908 – January 26, 1979) was the 41st vice president of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford. He was also the 49th governor of New York, serving from 1959 to 197 ...

Collection, and

Frida Kahlo Museum The Frida Kahlo Museum (Spanish: ''Museo Frida Kahlo''), also known as the Blue House (''La Casa Azul'' for the structure's cobalt-blue walls, is a historic house museum and art museum dedicated to the life and work of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo ...

. Magaña's portrait was painted by Diego Rivera in his large mural '' Pan American Unity'' (1940) and can be seen at the

City College of San Francisco City College of San Francisco (CCSF or City College) is a public community college in San Francisco, California, United States. Founded as a junior college in 1935, the college plays an important local role, enrolling as many as 1 in 35 San Franc ...

, where the mural is now located.

References

External links

Article by Diego Rivera (1948), "Mardonio Magaña."
In Spaces. Mexico. No.1 p. 5-6. Mexican sculptors Mexican male sculptors 1947 deaths Mexican folk art Artists from Mexico City Artists from Guanajuato Year of birth uncertain {{Mexico-artist-stub