Pedro Coronel (b. Jerez, Zacatecas March 25, 1922- d. Mexico City May 23, 1985) was a Mexican sculptor and painter, part of the Generación de la Ruptura, bringing innovation into Mexican art in the mid 20th century. Coronel’s training was with artists of the Mexican muralism tradition, with influence from artists like Diego Rivera. This influence remained with the use of pre Hispanic themes and colors in his work. However, his artistic trajectory took him towards more use of color and more abstract forms in his work, due to influences from artists such as Rufino Tamayo. His work was exhibited and gained recognition in Mexico, the United States and Europe. Shortly before his death, he donated his considerable personal art collection to the people of Mexico, which was used to open the Museo Pedro Coronel in the city of Zacatecas.
El advenimiento de ella
Pavana para una mujer embarazada, Pedro Coronel, 1959, oil on canvas, 184 x 202 cm. Private collection.
Coronel's personal eclectic collection of Twentieth Century art is the focus of the museum. Every modern artist from Braque to Miró to Picasso is represented. Most were Coronel's friends and contemporaries. We devoured the glorious paintings. We spent only a morning here; to give this museum its due, several mornings would be better.
The Rafael Coronel Museum, built in 1567 as a Franciscan convent, is a superb example of colonial architecture at its finest. At each turn in the building and everywhere on the grounds I found a breathtaking opportunity to use my camera. The museum houses Rafael Coronel's collection of nearly 5,000 Mexican masks once used in dances and traditional ceremonies. We marveled at the variety, the materials, and the intricate artistry of the masks. Many of these masks were part of Diego Rivera's collection and were inherited by his daughter, who married Rafael Coronel.