Grief (Mural Study)

1929

Grief (Mural Study), 1929. José Clemente Orozco (Mexican, 1883–1949), published by Delphic Studios. Lithograph; image: 30.2 x 35.1 cm (11 7/8 x 13 13/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Dudley P. Allen Fund 1930.243 © José Clemente Orozco / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SOMAAP, Mexico José Clemente Orozco reinterpreted the mural projects he completed as commissions for the Mexican government as lithographs to share their imagery more widely. Orozco’s focus on universal emotions—such as grief, seen here—appealed to an especially broad audience. This print features a detail from murals that the artist created for the National Preparatory School in Mexico City. In this print, Orozco incorporated the architecture of the building where the related mural was located in the form of a partial column along the left side of the image.