“The Sugar Mill,” a fresco created by Diego Rivera in 1923, is an exquisite example of the Muralism movement. This genre painting is part of the “Political Vision of the Mexican People” series and measures 482 by 366 cm. It is located in the Secretariat of Public Education Main Headquarters in Mexico City, Mexico.
The artwork portrays the laborious process within a sugar mill, depicting workers engaged in various stages of production. The scene captures the intense physical labor involved, with figures bent over in activity, highlighting the communal effort and industrious spirit of the workers. The composition is meticulously detailed, illustrating machines and tools integral to sugar production, and is imbued with earthy tones that convey the rustic and manual nature of the work. This fresco not only reflects Rivera’s artistic prowess but also serves as a powerful commentary on the socio-economic conditions of the working class in Mexico during that era.