Man at the Crossroads

work by Rivera

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June 30, 2026

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Man at the Crossroads was a mural painted by Diego Rivera for Rockefeller Center in New York City. Commissioned by the Rockefeller family, the mural was intended to depict two opposing ideologies: capitalism and socialism. Rivera included a figure of Vladimir Lenin, a communist leader, which led to a dispute with Nelson Rockefeller. Rivera refused to remove Lenin's image, and the mural was covered and eventually destroyed. Rivera later recreated the work as Man, Controller of the Universe at the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City.12

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Diego Rivera
Travels to the United States and Rockefeller controversy
…the Rockefeller family and featured Man at the Crossroads as the central panel of the mural. It depicted two opposing ideologies: capitalism on one side and socialism on the other. The theme seemed unusual for the wealthy and powerful Rockefellers, but the family approved Rivera’s initial sketches.
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…the Rockefeller family and featured Man at the Crossroads as the central panel of the mural. It depicted two opposing ideologies: capitalism on one side and socialism on the other. The theme seemed unusual for the wealthy and powerful Rockefellers, but the family approved Rivera’s initial sketches.
Read More