Dr.

Atl Life and Art

By: Derek Anderson 10H-4

He was born in Guadalajara, state of Jalisco, where he began the study of

painting at an early age, under Felipe Castro. At the age of 21, Murillo
entered the Academy of San Carlos in Mexico City to further his studies.
After showing his abilities, Murillo was granted a pension in 1897 by
President Porfirio Díaz to study painting in Europe. There he broadened
his scope of learning, with study of philosophy and law at the University
of Rome, and many trips to Paris to listen to lectures about art given
by Henri Bergson. His strong interest in politics led him to collaborate
with the Socialist Party in Italy and work in the Avanti newspaper. In
1902 he was "baptized" "Dr. Atl" (the Nahuatl word for "water")
by Leopoldo Lugones.
Dr. Atl became very active in Mexico when he returned. In 1906 he
participated with Diego Rivera, Francisco de la Torre and Rafael Ponce
de León and others in an exhibition sponsored by Alonso Cravioto and
Luis Castillo Ledon, the editors of the magazine Savia Moderna.
In 1906 Dr. Atl issued a manifesto calling for the development of a
monumental public art movement in Mexico linked to the lives and
interests of the Mexican people, a precursor of the Mexican Mural
Movement launched in 1922. He was also commissioned by the Diaz
government to design a glass curtain for the Institute of Fine Arts (Bellas
Artes) under construction in Mexico City, which was executed by
Tiffany's of New York. The curtain featured the two volcanoes
overlooking the capital. He was also commissioned to paint a mural,
which was postponed by the eruption of the Mexican Revolution against
Porfirio Díaz in 1910.

He died in Mexico City in 1964. He is buried in Panteon Civil de

Dolores cemetery in the capital.
Some of his works

Bibliography
https://culturacolectiva.com/art/doctor-atl-mexican-painter-biography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Atl