SAN JOSE, CA.- This spring, the San Jose Museum of Art presents rarely seen works on paper by the renowned Mexican muralist José Clemente Orozco (1883‒1949). Jose Clemente Orozco: Figure Studies, on view March 13, 2015 – August 3, 2015, showcases 23 figure studies—many of which have never before been exhibited publically—from the Michael Wornick Collection. Included are studies for five of the artist’s well-known murals: his mural cycles of 1926–27 at Escuela Nacional Preparatoria, Mexico City; Prometheus (1930) at Pomona College, Claremont, California; The Epic of American Civilization (1932–34) at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire; his mural cycle of 1936 at the Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico; and The Man of Fire (1939) at Hospicio Cabañas, Guadalajara, Mexico.

“Orozco is best known for his legendary public murals and his strong stance against social injustice,” said Susan Krane, Oshman Executive Director of SJMA. “Yet throughout his life, he was also an avid draftsman who masterfully conveyed emotion through the anatomy of the human figure. These drawings on paper reveal the intimate side of Orozco’s artistic vision and demonstrate the importance of figure drawing to his creative process.”

Orozco was one of the esteemed Los Tres Grandes Mexican muralists. In contrast to his contemporaries Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros, who glorified the revolution, Orozco depicted the struggles of humankind in the face of political conflict, war, and power. Along with Rivera and Siqueiros, Orozco created images that helped redefine national identity after the Mexican Revolution.

“Orozco’s figure drawings exemplify the artist’s mastery of anatomy and his classical skill as a draftsman,” said Krane. His modeling echoes the styles of the Renaissance and Mannerist masters who inspired him. These preparatory drawings offer a glimpse into Orozco’s mind, as he worked out the theatrical gestures, dramatic foreshortening, and compositions for his murals. In many studies, he focused closely on a particular detail—a boldly raised arm, a clenched fist, a peasant’s hands clasped in prayer. Many of Orozco’s figures drawings were done directly from the model.

The exhibition is accompanied by an online catalogue, which includes an essay by scholar Ruben C. Cordova, an introduction and an interview with the collector by Susan Krane, and links to related reference materials.