The following books were chosen because they have reproductions that are of high quality, and readable texts for both students and teachers. They are also available at either local libraries or at the libraries of local colleges.
Bloch, Peter.
Painting and Sculpture of the Puerto Ricans
. New York: c1978.
Good black and white reproductions.
Dockstader, Frederick J.
Indian Art in Middle America
. Connecticut: New York Graphic Society Publishers, 1964.
Many excellent reproductions, most in color, of the ancient crafts including pottery, jewelry, God’s eyes, bead work and more.
Micheli, Mario de.
Siqueiros.
New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1968.
Oversized book with excellent reproductions of Siqueiros’ art. Highly informative about the artist’s life and work. Available from Fairfield University and interlibrary loan.
Osborne, Harold.
South American Mythology
. Middlesex: Hamlyn Publishing Group, 1968.
Same very good color reproductions of ancient arts and crafts including excellent examples of hammered gold. Beautiful black and white photographs of Indians at work, their land and their architecture.
Helm, MacKinley.
Modern Mexican Painters
. New York: Harper and Row, 1941.
A nice blend of art history, history and biographies of the artists. Good black and white photographs. Best of the related books of the same title.
Smith, Bradley.
Mexico A History in Art
. New York: Doubleday and Company, 1968.
An invaluable book for the historian and art historian interested in Mexico or in pictorial history. Large reproductions, high quality.
Westheim, Paul, Alberto Ruz, Pedro Armillas, Ricardo de Robina and Alfonso Caso.
Prehispanic Mexican Art
. New York: Putnam’s Sons, 1972.
The best reproductions of art, artifacts and ruins that I have seen. Useful timeline, and plans of the temples. Hard reading.
Wolfe, Bertram D.
The Fabulaus Life of Diego Rivera
. New York, Stein and Day Publishers, 1963.
Interesting biography, many good black and white photographs and reproductions. Not the high quality of the Siqueiros but useful to compare the artists’ works. I could not find an Orozco text that would complete the Mexican muralist group of greats (Orozco, Rivera, Siqueiros).