By: Juan Beltran

Medium: lithograph
Year: 1946
Image Size: 17.6" H x 15.1" W
Signature: Pencil, lower Right
Paper: Cream wove
Publisher: Taller de Grafica Popular

Juan Beltrán, a lesser-known but significant contributor to the Mexican graphic arts movement of the mid-20th century, was part of the circle of artists working with the Taller de Gráfica Mexicana, an influential print workshop established in the 1940s. Beltrán’s work aligns with the social realism prevalent among his contemporaries, focusing on the dignity of labor and the cultural traditions of rural Mexico. His lithographs are marked by careful composition, expressive textures, and a strong sense of narrative grounded in everyday life. Like many Mexican artists of his era, Beltrán used printmaking not only as a means of artistic expression but also as a tool for education and social commentary, bringing the experiences of the working class to the forefront of visual culture.

The lithograph from the Mexican Art: A Portfolio of Mexican People and Places powerfully captures this ethos. It depicts laborers operating a traditional sugarcane press, powered by a mule turning a wooden mechanism. The physical strain of the workers is evident in their crouched postures and concentrated expressions, underscoring the arduous process of rural industry. The composition is grounded in diagonal lines and a rhythmic use of shadow that guides the viewer’s eye through the machine’s structure and the activity around it. Beltrán brings a quiet heroism to the scene, portraying the act of work as both culturally rooted and vital. Through lithography, he renders fine textures—from the coarse sugarcane to the woven roof of the mill—with a sensitivity that reflects both respect for his subjects and mastery of the medium.