He lost an eye and a hand in a fireworks accident.
Still, Jose Clemente Orozco sure knew how to paint!
And the Orozco murals in Guadalajara are a must-see if you’re visiting this Mexican colonial city.
Pssst! Check out our comprehensive Mexico travel guide!
The fiery Orozco murals
Orozco learned to paint at a young age.
But tragically, he injured his left hand at the age of 21 while making fireworks for Mexico’s Independence Day, and his hand and wrist had to be amputated.
This didn’t stop Orozco from painting, however.
Famous Mexican muralists
Orozco ended up becoming one of the three greatest Mexican muralists – keeping good company with Diego Rivera (Kahlo Frido’s lover) and David Alfaro Siqueiros, the other two renowned muralists.
The Mexican mural movement arose in the 1920s (right after the Mexican Revolution from 1910 to 1917), when Mexico’s education minister commissioned artists to depict Mexico’s history on public buildings.
Most of the Mexican people were illiterate, and this was a way for them to visually understand their heritage.
Many of these murals depict Mexico’s struggle for independence and the suffering of the masses.
Read next! There’s cool art to be seen at the Diego Rivera Museum in Guanajuato
The Orozco murals in Guadalajara
The 57 frescoes Orozco painted inside the Hospicio Cabanas in Guadalajara in the late 1930s are considered his masterpiece works.
Built as an orphanage and hospital, the Hospicio Cabanas is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, cultural center and museum.
The building itself is quite the architectural sight, with 23 patios and courtyards linked by pink tile corridors.
Hospicio Cabanas
Calle Cabanas 8, Plaza Tapatia Zona Centro, Las Fresas, Guadalajara
+52 33 3668 1642
Orozco Man of Fire
Of all the Jose Clemente Orozco paintings in Guadalajara, “Man of Fire” is the most intriguing (and one of the most famous).
Gracing the Cabanas’ lofty ceiling, the “Man of Fire” mural shows a blazing man in flames rising upward – from torment toward enlightenment? Two other men encircle him.
What a trompe d’oeil it is!
When we walked around while also looking up, it appeared the vividly painted orange, black and grey figures also moved around in a circle.
Miguel Hidalgo mural and other Guadalajara murals
We also saw many more Orozco murals at the governor’s palace in Guadalajara, which is now a museum.
Most striking is the huge painting of a feisty white-haired Father Miguel Hidalgo wielding a burning torch, which greets you while climbing the staircase.
Hidalgo, the father of the country, was the priest who inspired the Mexican people to rise up against their Spanish conquerors.
The Government Palace (or Palacio de Gobierno)
Avenida Ramon Corona 31, Zona Centro, Guadalajara
+52 33 3668 1825
One of the best things to do in Guadalajara
There are lots of interesting things to do when you tour Guadalajara.
One of them is seeing Orozco’s great works of art. They’re among the top Guadalajara attractions; if you love art and culture, viewing Orozco’s murals is one of the best things to do in Mexico. So don’t miss them!
Seeing these emotional and thought-provoking Guadalajara murals opened our eyes to a world of art we hadn’t seen before.
More Orozco reading
Experience more of Mexico!
Guadalajara | Where to stay? Read our review of Villa Ganza, a lovely boutique hotel.
Cabo San Lucas | From whale watching to hiking up the Pedregal, check out these epic things to do in Los Cabos.
Zihuatanejo | Want a great beach vacay? See the best beaches in Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa.
Mexico City | Planning on spending 3 days in Mexico City? You’ll want to see this helpful itinerary covering the best museums, attractions and restaurants in the fabulous capital.
Puerto Vallarta | Where to stay? You’ll love these beautiful boutique hotels in Puerto Vallarta.
Our top travel tips and resources
Hotels: Booking.com is great for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one. (We especially like their flexible cancellation policy!)
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Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.
Car rental: Renting a car is often one of the best ways to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the best rates.
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Photo credits: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase
About the authors
Luxury travel journalists and SATW, NATJA and TMAC “Best Travel Blog” award winners, Janice and George Mucalov are the publishers of Sand In My Suitcase. Between them, they’ve traveled to all 7 continents. See About.
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Diana Chavez
Thursday 28th of January 2021
I'd like to thank you for the info you share with us. Mexico is a beautiful country, and I feel very proud of it.
Janice and George
Thursday 28th of January 2021
Why, thank you for writing in! It's understandable that you feel proud of your country :-). We would too if we were Mexican :-).
Frank
Sunday 28th of October 2018
I was there last year and saw his paintings first hand. I can't say that I was a huge fan, the lines are very hard and the colours bleak. But you see his paintings and you'll always be able to identify an Orozco if you see one again.
Janice and George
Sunday 28th of October 2018
Yes, Orozco's work is pretty eye-catching, to say the least :-).
William David Theis
Saturday 12th of August 2017
Frida wasn't a muralist. The 3rd of the 'big three' is David Siqueiros...
Janice and George
Saturday 12th of August 2017
Frida Kahlo was Diego Rivera's lover. She wasn't one of the three muralists, but she was a very interesting painter in her own right! And a fascinating woman...
Thanks too for sharing the name of the third of the muralists. We probably should have made this clear :-).
Jessica
Monday 25th of August 2014
Those are amazing. I love the fist coming down out of the celiing.
Freya
Sunday 24th of August 2014
I love murals, these are quite spectacular wow. I'm another one that didn't hear of Orozco before so thanks for this very informative post.