by México Desconocido
It depicts a line of 26 dark-skinned children, barefoot, some wearing sandals, and a few wearing shoes. Each one carries a candle in their right hand, and although the night seems rather cold, they cover their bodies only with ponchos, shawls, or simple traditional garments. Four of them, the oldest, are responsible for carrying the manger of Joseph and Mary, who, pregnant, carries the baby Jesus. This is the mural “The Children Asking for Lodging.”
It shows a row of 26 dark-skinned children, barefoot, some wearing sandals, and a few wearing shoes. Contemplating this work by Diego Rivera, created between 1953 and 1954, during a period when the painter had already established himself as one of the greatest exponents of Mexican muralism and was about to receive his cancer diagnosis, inevitably leads to reflection on our origins, our race, the fusion of our pre-Hispanic and Spanish cultures, and to consider the fragility of childhood.
Children Seeking Lodging, a work funded by McAshan Educational and Charitable.
In Children Seeking Lodging, Rivera depicts a procession of humble children carrying lit candles and pilgrims. Their expressions, illuminated by the candlelight, evoke the hope and spirituality that accompanies this celebration. As a complement, Rivera also painted The Piñata, where a scalloped paper pot falls to pieces, releasing fruit and surprises as the children enjoy the moment.
If you are interested in seeing the murals “Children Asking for Lodging” and “The Piñata,” you can do so at the Federico Gómez Children’s Hospital in Mexico City. Both works were commissioned by the McAshan Educational and Charitable Association, which takes its name from the American Susan McAshan, daughter of cotton magnate Will Clayton.
“Children Asking for Lodging” and its appearance in film
However, as far as we know, Diego Rivera didn’t leave many comments about the themes of his work “Children Asking for Lodging,” but its influence is present in books, culture, and even film. Perhaps the best-known example is “My Child Tizoc.”
In that film, starring Alberto Vázquez, the main character, a widower named Carmelo, takes his sick son to the Children’s Hospital in Mexico City. The murals, shown in the film, awaken in Carmelo a profound reflection on the fragility of life and the power of paternal love.
Children Asking for Lodging, one of Rivera’s last works
When Rivera painted Children Asking for Lodging, he had just received a tribute for his 50-year career with a major exhibition at the Palace of Fine Arts. Despite his diagnosis, his creativity did not diminish. Shortly after these works, supported by the architect Juan O’Gorman, he focused on the construction of the Anahuacalli.
