Desiderio Hernández Xochitiotzin (born

San Bernardino Contla Contla consists of two nearby villages in the List of states of Mexico, Mexican state of Tlaxcala. One village is also called San Bernardino Contla or simply San Bernardino, and is located at The other village is also called San Miguel Contla or ...

, February 11, 1922 – died

Tlaxcala Tlaxcala, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tlaxcala, is one of the 32 federal entities that comprise the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Tlaxcala, 60 municipalities and t ...

, September 14, 2007) was a Mexican artist best known for his large-scale mural work inside the State Government Palace in the state of

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 ...

, the last large scale mural of the

Mexican muralism Mexican muralism refers to the art project initially funded by the Mexican government in the immediate wake of the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920) to depict visions of Mexico's past, present, and future, transforming the walls of many public buil ...

movement.

Life

Desiderio Hernández Xochitiotzin was born in Santa María Tlacatecpac de San Bernardino Contla, Tlaxcala in 1922. His artistic training began in his family's handcraft shop and then at the Academia de Bellas Artes de Puebla. After traveling in various parts of Mexico and Europe to live and work, he returned permanently in Tlaxcala in 1957. The rest of his career was dedicated to painting the history and culture of his home state. He died of respiratory failure on September 14, 2007. Before his death, he planned along with his daughter Citlalli to form a foundation named after him, with the aim of preserving his work and authenticate his artistic production. His daughter currently heads the organization whose activities include social and cultural events and research about the painter. The foundation sponsored an exhibit of his work in the United States in 2011.

The mural at the State Government Palace in Tlaxcala

Tlaxcala - Palacio de Gobierno - Huldigung an Camaxtli

Hernández Xochitiotzin's most important work was the creation of the mural ''La historia de Tlaxcala y su contribución a lo mexicano'' (''The history of Tlaxcala and its contribution to Mexican identity'') inside the State Government Palace of Tlaxcala. The project to create a mural that tells the history of Tlaxcala was promoted to the state by poet Miguel N. Lira and preparation work was begun in 1957. The first section, ''La Conquista'', was painted between 1967 and 1968, with work continuing in stages over four decades. The work shows influence from Rivera's mural at the

National Palace Buildings called National Palace include: *National Palace (Dominican Republic), in Santo Domingo * National Palace (El Salvador), in San Salvador * National Palace (Ethiopia), in Addis Ababa; also known as the Jubilee Palace * National Palace (Guat ...

, but Hernández Xochitiotzin did not paint the original

Tlaxcalans The Tlaxcallans, or Tlaxcaltec, are an indigenous Nahua people who originate from Tlaxcala, Mexico. The Confederacy of Tlaxcala was instrumental in overthrowing the Aztec Empire in 1521, alongside conquistadors from the Kingdom of Spain. The ...

as traitors for their role in the

Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire was a pivotal event in the history of the Americas, marked by the collision of the Aztec Triple Alliance and the Spanish Empire. Taking place between 1519 and 1521, this event saw the Spanish conquistad ...

. The entire mural covers over 500 meters squared and is the last grand-scale mural to be created as part of the Mexican muralism movement. However, the work was never fully completed before his death in 2007. Before this time, Hernández Xochitiotzin's asked state authorities to allow his son, Cuauhtlatohuac H. Xochitiotzin to continue the work on the mural but the state never responded. The mural is one of the most important cultural and tourist attractions of the state, bringing visitors from Mexico and abroad. However, the mural work has been damaged due to the effects of humidity and time, with several sections visibly affected. These include ''El señor de los tlaxcaltecas'', ''Ritual en honor al Dios Camaxtli'', ''Sacrificio gladiatorio, del general Tlahuicole en Tenochtitlan'' and ''Deidad Tlaxcalteca'', with the most severe damage at the main entrance to the building.

Other work

Hernández Xochitiotzin's life's work including various drawing and

engraving Engraving is the practice of incising a design on a hard, usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it with a Burin (engraving), burin. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or Glass engraving, glass ar ...

s, especially in his early career. He was also a writer, architect, chronicler, teacher, researcher and art restoration expert. He had his first important individual exhibition in 1947 while still in school. Before 1957, he had expositions in Mexico, the

Vatican Vatican may refer to: Geography * Vatican City, an independent city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy * Vatican Hill, in Rome, namesake of Vatican City * Ager Vaticanus, an alluvial plain in Rome * Vatican, an unincorporated community in the ...

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

Sorbonne University Sorbonne University () is a public research university located in Paris, France. The institution's legacy reaches back to the Middle Ages in 1257 when Sorbonne College was established by Robert de Sorbon as a constituent college of the Unive ...

and the

Stockholm University Stockholm University (SU) () is a public university, public research university in Stockholm, Sweden, founded as a college in 1878, with university status since 1960. With over 33,000 students at four different faculties: law, humanities, social ...

. He illustrated books such as a catalog of the works of Ernesto de la Torre in 1999 and ''Pintura mural de México la época prehispánica, el virreinato y los grandes artistas de nuestro siglo'' by Rafael Carrillo Azpéitia. In addition to the mural at the State Government Palace, he also painted an important one at the municipal palace in Huamantla, Tlaxcala in 1968. Others include a fresco in Tehuacán, Puebla and a mural of the history of

Reynosa, Tamaulipas Reynosa () is a border city in the northern part of the state of Tamaulipas, in Mexico which also holds the municipal seat of Reynosa Municipality. The city is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande in the international Reynosa–McAlle ...

in that city. The research he did to prepare murals led him to become an expert on the history and culture of Tlaxcala, becoming a teacher and speaker at conferences. He was the official historian of the city of Tlaxcala, investigating the history of the architecture of city in preparation for their naming as historic monuments in the 1970s and 1980s. Although without formal training, he did work as an architect. Projects including the remodeling of the Ocotlan Basilica, and the remodeling of the atriums of churches in Zacatelco and Texoloc as well as designing the chapel at the Tlaxcala Seminary. He co-designed a building located in the historic center of Puebla located across from the

Puebla Cathedral The Basilica Cathedral of Puebla, as the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is known according to its Titles of Mary, Marian invocation, is the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Puebla de los Ángeles, Archdioces ...

. He also worked on numerous restorations and remodeling of various historic buildings in Tlaxcala and

Puebla Puebla, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its capital is Puebla City. Part of east-centr ...

. He founded the architecture school at

Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla The Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla () (BUAP) is the oldest and largest university in Puebla, Mexico. Founded on 15 April 1578 as Colegio del Espíritu Santo, the school was sponsored by the Society of Jesus during most of the Spanis ...

and was a professor there until 1968. Other notable work includes the design of the municipal seal of Xaloztoc in 1973 for the municipality's centennial, and was a founding member of the

Salón de la Plástica Mexicana Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (SPM; Hall of Mexican Fine Art) is an institution dedicated to the promotion of Mexican contemporary art. It was established in 1949 to expand the Mexican art market. Its first location was in historic center of t ...

. Harvard and the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...

named him as the best Mexican muralist of the 20th century. He was given an honorary degree in architecture by

Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla The Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP) is a private (Catholic), non-profit university located in the Mexican state of Puebla. Founded on 7 May 1973, it is currently a highly reputed university with an important national ...

Artistry

He was part of the second generation of Mexican muralism movement and the last to use the fresco technique extensively. Influences include

José Guadalupe Posada José Guadalupe Posada Aguilar (2 February 1852 – 20 January 1913) was a Mexican political printmaker who used relief printing to produce popular illustrations. His work has influenced numerous Latin American artists and cartoonists becaus ...

, Agustín Arrieta,

Francisco Goitia Francisco Bollaín y Goitia García (4 October 1882 – 26 March 1960) was a Mexican artist. Goitia was a reclusive and complicated man, whose life and work was heavily influenced by the Mexican Revolution. He was of the Mexican muralism generat ...

as well as Mexican muralists

José Clemente Orozco José Clemente Orozco (November 23, 1883 – September 7, 1949) was a Mexican caricaturist and painter, who specialized in political murals that established the Mexican Mural Renaissance together with murals by Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siquei ...

David Alfaro Siqueiros David Alfaro Siqueiros (born José de Jesús Alfaro Siqueiros; December 29, 1896 – January 6, 1974) was a Mexican social realist painter, best known for his large public murals using the latest in equipment, materials and technique. Along with ...

and especially

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 ...

. Recurrent themes in his work include history, landscapes, festivals, local customs, religion and rural life. His most important work has themes related to the state of Tlaxcala and its history. His work tends to contain strong colors and realistic figures. File:Tlaxcala - Palacio de Gobierno - Verhandlungen Spanier - Tlaxcalteken 2.jpg, Discussions between

Tlaxcaltec The Tlaxcallans, or Tlaxcaltec, are an indigenous Nahua people who originate from Tlaxcala, Mexico. The Confederacy of Tlaxcala was instrumental in overthrowing the Aztec Empire in 1521, alongside conquistadors from the Kingdom of Spain. The ...

s and

Hernán Cortés Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca (December 1485 – December 2, 1547) was a Spanish ''conquistador'' who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions o ...

. File:Tlaxcala- Palacio de Gobierno - Vertrag Spanier - Tlaxcalteken.jpg,

gets a Spanish province (1545) File:Tlaxcala - Palacio de Gobierno - Sturz der Indianergötter.jpg, Destruction of the indian gods by the Spanish conquest. File:Tlaxcala - Palacio de Gobierno - Kaiser Maximilian.jpg,

Maximiliano I of Mexico Maximilian I (; ; 6 July 1832 – 19 June 1867) was an Austrian archduke who became emperor of the Second Mexican Empire from 10 April 1864 until his execution by the Mexican Republic on 19 June 1867. A member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, ...

and

Carlota of Mexico Charlotte of Mexico (; ; 7 June 1840 – 19 January 1927), known by the Spanish version of her name, Carlota, was by birth a princess of Belgium and member of the House of Wettin in the branch of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (as such she was also ...

File:Tlaxcala - Palacio de Gobierno - Indianerkrieger 2.jpg, Flower Wars Tlaxcaltecan warriors fighting against warrior from Texcoco, Cuauhtepec and Ocelotepec. File:Tlaxcala - Palacio de Gobierno - Indianerhändler.jpg, Aboriginal merchants in the Tlaxcala market File:Tlaxcala - Palacio de Gobierno - Mexiko seit der Unabhängigkeit 1.jpg, History of Mexico since its Independence

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hernandez Xochitiotzin, Desiderio Mexican muralists 1922 births 2007 deaths Artists from Tlaxcala 20th-century Mexican painters Mexican male painters 21st-century Mexican painters 20th-century Mexican male artists 21st-century Mexican male artists Mexican people of Nahua descent