Rivera’s Influence?—A Cross-Cultural Interpretation of the Yellow Crane Tower Mural

Volume 23, March 2026
by Cai Tao


Article Description

This essay examines the 1938 Yellow Crane Tower mural in Wuhan, exploring possible influence from Diego Rivera and the Mexican mural movement. Situating the work within China’s War of Resistance, Cai Tao traces cross-cultural exchanges linking modernism, political propaganda, and mural revival, arguing that Chinese artists adapted Rivera’s monumental, socially engaged model to urgent national circumstances.


Related Keywords

Cai Tao, Yellow Crane Tower mural, Wuhan, Diego Rivera, Mexican mural movement, War of Resistance, cross-cultural exchanges, political propaganda, Situ Qiao, Liang Bamboo, Liang Xihong/He Tiehua