Category: Mexico

Postcard from Guadalajara, Mexico: The anguish of man battling oppression

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A postage stamp commemorating the 175th anniversary of the death of Miguel Hidalgo, featuring an artistic depiction by J.C. Orozco. The design showcases Hidalgo in a dramatic pose, with vivid colors and expressive details.

Above: Rotating views of Jose Clemente Orozco’s “Man of Fire” fresco in the dome of Instituto Cultural Cabanas, 1937-1939

An artist is a freedom fighter, fighting for the liberation of the human spirit.”

Jose Clemente Orozco (1883-1949)

At the age of 20, Orozco was in the process of prepping fireworks, when: Boom! He delayed treatment, and gangrene gained hold of his wound. So, his left hand had to be removed, a tragedy that spared him from being drafted into the trenches of the Mexican Revolution.

But the artist did not stand idly as history unfolded; he honed art as his weapon. His art evolved into something stark, dark and boldly modern. His offensive was against all and any institutions that kept the common man in a state of poverty – art meant to shame the rich and privileged and inspire the poor.

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Postcard from Trieste, Italy: Nightmarish end to palatial dreams

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An Italian postage stamp featuring a scenic view of the Miramare Gardens in Trieste, showcasing neatly trimmed hedges, a statue, and a fountain against a background of trees and the sea.

Above: Miramare, a palace erected by Princess Charlotte of Belgium and Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria

At age 22, Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian (1832-1867) was named Commander-in-Chief of the Austrian Navy. Sailing in 1855 in the Gulf of Trieste, then ruled by the Kingdom of Austria, the young archduke spotted a promontory jutting out into the water. Barren, rocky, yet a gorgeous waterfront view on three sides. He decided to acquire the land for his home.

Construction of the house, which he named Miramare, was already underway at the time of his 1857 marriage to Princess Charlotte of Belgium (1840-1927). Also in 1857, his older brother, Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria (1830-1916), appointed Maximilian Viceroy of Lombardy-Venetia.

The couple moved into the Royal Palace of Milan while continuing work on Miramare. Charlotte’s royal dowry contributed to the money-pit project, including bringing in tons of dirt and topsoil for extensive gardens. Surrounded by all the requisite family portraits, the couple moved into their completed dream home in 1860.

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Postcard from Queretaro, Mexico: Pondering contemporary art scene

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A postage stamp featuring a portrait of a female figure, depicting a nun with a religious emblem, surrounded by books, with the text 'ARTE Y CIENCIA DE MEXICO' and 'AEREO' printed on it.

Above: “Ensenan Mas las Obras…,” Miguel Angel Hernandez Vences, lost-wax bronze, 2025; and “Dibujos en la Piel,” Enrique Hernandez Rivera, oil on canvas, 2025. Among pieces selected for the “MAQRO’s First Biennial of the Human Figure.”

Baroque architecture of the former convent of San Agustin, featuring arched colonnades, intricate stone carvings, and a central fountain, under a blue sky.

Never would we visit Queretaro without ducking in to admire the exquisite Baroque courtyard for the former convent of San Agustin. But there’s more than early 18th-century colonial architecture to experience there.

The rooms surrounding the courtyard are refurbished as galleries of Museo de Arte de Queretaro. This summer those galleries were overflowing with exhibitions showing the vitality of the creative community of the city.

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