Panel 19. Modern Migration of the Spirit - The Epic of American Civilization 1934

Jose Clemente Orozco made this mural panel, one part of an epic cycle, at Dartmouth College in the early 1930s. It presents a striking commentary on the cultural history and potential future of the Americas. Orozco, a Mexican artist, deploys a visual language influenced by both Renaissance frescoes and contemporary political art. In this panel, a monumental figure stands amidst the rubble of past civilizations, wielding an axe as a symbol of revolutionary change. The imagery evokes the destruction of old orders to make way for the new – an idea with particular resonance in post-revolutionary Mexico. The setting at Dartmouth, an elite American university, adds another layer of meaning. Is Orozco challenging the very institutions of knowledge and power? To fully understand this complex mural, it's helpful to explore Orozco’s biography, and to consider the history of muralism as a public art form. We should also examine Dartmouth College as an institution, along with critical responses to the mural when it was first unveiled. These resources can help us to interpret the mural’s social, political and cultural significance.