We were very interested in this quirky story about the removal of a controversial mural from the RCA Building in New York in 1933.
The Mexican artist, Diego Rivera had been commissioned by Nelson Rockefeller to paint a mural in the RCA Building, which was the centrepoint of the Rockefeller Center.
The painting, entitled ‘Man at the Crossroads’, contained a large portrait of Lenin, which, ahem, did not go down very well with a very surprised Nelson Rockefeller.
As the Rockefeller Center is a citadel of capitalism, the feeling was that it probably wasn’t the best place for a massive portrait of Lenin – admittedly, that perspective likely depends on your political viewpoint!
However, Rivera refused to remove Lenin from his mural, hence the fascinating kerfuffle that followed.
Nottingham Evening Post – Thursday 11 May 1933
Image © Northcliffe Media Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000321/19330511/050/0010
