Escuela Mexico, Chillan

Chillán suffered a big earthquake in 1939. During the reconstruction, Pablo Neruda arranged to have the Mexican artist Siquieros paint a mural at the Escuela Mexico. The controversial subject of the paintings caused Neruda to lose his job as ambassador to Mexico. The murals fortunately survived.


The accompanying text is what was on display together with the murals.

The mural's name is "Death to the Invader." It was painted by the Mexican David Alfaro Siqueiros, in 1942. The painter represented his country and Chilean history.

In the mural to the South, the history of Chile, in the middle of it, Galvarino, Indian Mapuche together with Francisco Bilbao, to the left, Caupolican with two spears pointing at the dejected Spaniards, in the left upper corner Lautaro him Luis Emilio Recabarren, the first workman having a position in the Parliament, to the right Bernado O'Higgins, liberator of Chile having in his hands the three Chilean flags, now we have Balmaceda, president of Chile in 1886. [Original]

In the mural to the North the history of Mexico, to the center the last Aztec emperor, Cuauthemoc he is facing backwards with a bow in his hands throwing two arrows as a sign of refusal to Catholic religion which came to destroy his own. This is represented in the ceiling by a cross, a sword and a coffin. To the left there are four people Jose Maria Morello founder of the Congress. The priest Hidalgo who participated in the Mexican independence and Emilio Zapata leader of the countrymen, to the right of Cuauthemoc, the Spaniard Hernan Cortez Mexican conqueror, to his right over there, we have Benito Juarez and [behind] Lazaro Cardenas, two president and to finish two presidents Manuel Avila Camacho from Mexico and Pedro Aguirre Cerda from [Chile.]

Thank you very much. [Original]




Ceiling above central stairs


Home : More travels Updated: 3 September 2004