Born on February 26, 1896, Fernando Leal was one of the initial figures of the muralist movement. He was born in Mexico City. Leal studied painting first at the Academy San Carlos then moved to Escuela al Aire Libre de Coyoacan after being "discovered" in Coyoacan by the Secretary of Education, Vasconcelos. He enlisted Leal to paint a mural on the walls of the Preparatory School with other artists (Rivera, Amado de la Cueva, David Siquieros, etc.) to attempt to create a new identity for Mexico. Many other murals followed this first one.
In addition to mural painting, Leal was also an engraver, lithographer and canvas painter. He painted religious works, traditions of the popular culture, rural scenes and is regarded as the first to include indigenous themes in monumental works. He is also thought to be one of the first artists to create small "mock-ups" of his planned larger works. His use of color was light and bright, and his style hovered between Baroque and Classical. He taught at the Academy of San Carlos and was director at Coyoacan.
Below is the Appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe, located at the Tepeyac Chapel at the Villa de Guadalupe.
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