The Mexican engraver and lithographer, Leopoldo Mendez, was born on June 30, 1902, in Mexico City, to a poor shoemaker...one of eight children. Certainly his background influenced his artwork later, as did the Mexican Revolution, occurring when he was just a young boy. He attended Academy of San Carlos immediately following his primary education, and then La Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre, opened by Alfredo Ramirez Martinez.
Although he was a painter, bookmaker, muralist and an art educator, he is best remembered for his engravings, totaling over 700 over the course of his lifetime. He contributed illustrations to many political publications. In the 40s he helped form the political leftist group Taller de Grafica Popular, along with Alfred Zalce and Pablo O Higgins and others. The group was awarded the International Prize of Peace for their work.
Mendez is considered one of the most important Mexican engravers and even 20th century Mexican artists. He did not exhibit extensively and was not know as widely as other Mexican artists of the time. Perhaps this is due to his belief that artists should work collaboratively toward the political end and remain anonymous. While his style of work was realistic, it also had Cubism, Italian Futurism, German Expressionism and Surrealistic leanings. Later in his career he turned toward more benign subject matter, such as the art book publishing company he organized and the book on traditional Mexican handcrafts and folk art that he was working on when he died.
Venciste...You Conquered...
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