Silver Mine Worker

1946

Mexican Art: A Portfolio of People and Places: Silver Mine Worker, 1946. Francisco Mora (Mexican, 1922–2002), Taller de Gráfica Popular (Mexican, 1937-). Lithograph; sheet: 44.6 x 38.5 cm (17 9/16 x 15 3/16 in.); image: 35 x 28.3 cm (13 3/4 x 11 1/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift from funds of various donors to the Department of Prints and Drawings 2000.94 © Catlett Mora Family Trust / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY Francisco Mora frequently depicted Mexican miners, like the one seen here, emphasizing the difficult conditions of their labor. In this print, the backlit figure’s crouched position, narrow eyes, and hollow chest emphasize his exhaustion. The dramatic lighting around the man likewise suggests that his work has created a sense of separation between him and the rest of society. Mora saw printmaking as a way to share social issues, such as the plight of the working poor, with a broader audience and to initiate political change. This print was part of a portfolio of lithographs by artists associated with the Taller de Gráfica Popular, a politically oriented print shop in Mexico City, meant to present their prints to American audiences.