The Diego Rivera Studio House, Interesting!

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The Diego Rivera Studio House

The Diego Rivera Studio House a novelty of functionalist architecture in its day, is one of the most interesting visits in Mexico City’s San Ángel.

Diego Rivera’s Studio Functionalist Architecture

The Rivera’s Studio House a novelty in its day, in its rooms and gardens still keep the original freshness of the design that architect Juan O’Gorman infused into his work, making it an emblematic example of functionalist architecture in Latin America.

Diego and Frida’s Studios joined by a passageway

Made up by a set of two houses, joined by an exterior passageway. One house was for Frida, the other for Diego, each with its own studio. O’Gorman designed the houses in the minimalistic style, with a simple but defined character, thus achieving a living expression of the architecture of the day.

The design includes generous spaces with a minimal of elements, including a ceiling terrace and hallway living spaces, as well as a bridge and circular stairway, which take into account the surrounding environment that isolated by a perimeter of cacti.

Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo’s Studios

Frida Kahlo's Studio from the Diego Rivera Studio
View of Frida Kahlo’s Studio from the Diego Rivera Studio

Diego and Frida inhabited the house in 1934. Among other celebrated paintings, this is where Frida painted Lo Que el Agua me Dio (What Water Gave to Me) which incidentally, visitors can imagine as they contemplate the white bathtub.

She left this house to move to The Blue House in Coyoacán in April 1941, after the death of her father, Guillermo Kahlo, and never returned to live in the couple’s house-studio.

Diego Rivera lived alone here until his death, in November 1957. This is where he painted most of his easel works, which include some three thousand pieces. His collection of Judases and skulls (popular figures made of cardboard) remained here during his life, as well as part of his collection of Pre-Hispanic art and Mexican handicrafts.

Frida Kahlo photograph at the Diego Rivera Studio House
Frida Kahlo photograph at the Diego Rivera Studio House

Diego Rivera Studio House Artistic Monument

In April 1981, the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Fine Arts Institute) became the custodian of the house and declared an artistic monument, after being restored in 1998.

 

General Information

Visit the Diego Rivera Studio House on Altavista Avenue, on the corner of Diego Rivera Street, Col. San Angel Inn, in the south of Mexico City. Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10:00-18:00 hours. The entrance fee is very low, and Sunday is free to the public.