Birth of a Nation, 1935

From the late 1920s, Alberto Vargas worked for a number of movie studios, doing everything from portraits to movie posters to set design. This 1935 watercolor, inspired by the D. W. Griffith film of the same name, shows the influence of Diego Rivera, who was commissioned around this same period (1932) to bring his boldly hued "sea of humanity" mural style to Rockefeller Center. 

This image bears such a striking resemblance to some of the Mexican muralists, most notably Diego Rivera, that it is easy to conceive the influence and inspiration Alberto might have experienced by the groundbreaking visual statements these other artists were making at the time. This painting by Alberto has a certain grandness in its complexity and broad narrative. Though the painting is not large, it does express epic aspirations. 

Ref # (Ptg-095)

14" x 24" Artwork Size
Watercolor & Gouache Painting on board
Signed, original artwork -