PXL_20250425_173913889

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 07:49:22 +0100

The Reform and the Fall of the Empire
José Clemente Orozco
Fresco on gesso
1948

In the upper section of this mural, the impassive face of Benito Juárez dominates.

With this, the artist seeks to emphasize the importance of the actions of this president.

The people—poorly dressed, but with enough strength to forge their path toward freedom—accompany Juárez in his triumph. The Republic is symbolized by the flag of the Battalion of the Supreme Powers and by the soldier who brandishes a torch of liberty. The number 57 on his kepi alludes to the year in which the Constitution was proclaimed.

In the underworld, the mummified body of Emperor Maximilian is supported by the spectral figures of those who backed him.