Man on Fire

Luis Jiménez, Man on Fire, 1969, fiberglass in acrylic urethane resin on painted wood fiberboard base, 106 1480 1429 12 in. (269.9203.874.9 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Philip Morris Incorporated, 1979.124, © 1969, Luis Jiménez

Artwork Details

Title
Man on Fire
Date
1969
Dimensions
106 1480 1429 12 in. (269.9203.874.9 cm)
Copyright
© 1969, Luis Jiménez
Credit Line
Gift of Philip Morris Incorporated
Mediums
Mediums Description
fiberglass in acrylic urethane resin on painted wood fiberboard base
Classifications
Subjects
  • Allegory — element — fire
  • Figure male — full length
  • Figure male — nude
Object Number
1979.124

Artwork Description

How would you portray your childhood hero? Luis Jiménez honors Cuauhtémoc, the Aztec ruler who was tortured with fire during the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Growing up in Texas near the Mexican border, Jiménez heard stories of Cuauhtémoc's bravery from his grandmother and thought of him as a "kind of Superman."
 
The burning man stands defiantly upright, even as he is wrapped in flames. Jiménez critiques histories of racialized violence while representing resistance and self-determination.

Label text from The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture November 8, 2024 -- September 14, 2025

Description in Spanish

La obra Man of Fire, de Jiménez reinterpreta un ícono indígena en términos contemporáneos. Utilizando un estilo del arte pop con superficies industriales semejantes a los autos deportivos, el artista hace referencia a Cuauhtémoc, el emperador azteca torturado con fuego por los conquistadores españoles, y a Thich Quang Duc, el monje budista que se prendió fuego en protesta contra la guerra de Vietnam. Para Jiménez, la acción del monje tuvo eco en el sentimiento antibélico creciente de muchas comunidades latinas. La figura de tez oscura hecha por Jiménez ―que era también su autorretrato― reafirma la identidad indígena de los chicanos y las raíces de esta comunidad en el suroeste de los Estados Unidos antes de 1848.

Nuestra América: la presencia latina en el arte estadounidense, 2013

Works by this artist (24 items)

Luis Jiménez, Model for "Fiesta", 1986, cast fiberglass, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the General Services Administration, Public Buildings Service, 1987.14.1, © 1986, Luis Jiménez
Model for Fiesta”
Date1986
cast fiberglass
On view
Luis Jiménez, Vaquero, modeled 1980/cast 1990, acrylic urethane, fiberglass, steel armature, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Judith and Wilbur L. Ross, Jr., Anne and Ronald Abramson, and Thelma and Melvin Lenkin, 1990.44, © 1980, Luis Jiménez
Vaquero
Datemodeled 1980/cast 1990
acrylic urethane, fiberglass, steel armature
On view
Luis Jiménez, Man on Fire, 1969, fiberglass in acrylic urethane resin on painted wood fiberboard base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Philip Morris Incorporated, 1979.124, © 1969, Luis Jiménez
Man on Fire
Date1969
fiberglass in acrylic urethane resin on painted wood fiberboard base
On view
Luis Jiménez, Ball Rattlesnake, 1987, lithograph with glitter, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Drs. Harriett and Ricardo Romo, 2019.50.15
Ball Rattlesnake
Date1987
lithograph with glitter
Not on view

Videos

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration -:-
Loaded: 0.00%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time -:-
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected

      There are many equestrian monuments in the federal city of Washington, D.C., but the one in front of the National Museum of American Art [now called Smithsonian American Art Museum] is special. Learn more about Vaquero

      Related Books

      OurAmerica_500.jpg
      Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art
      Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art explores how Latino artists shaped the artistic movements of their day and recalibrated key themes in American art and culture. This beautifully illustrated volume presents the rich and varied contributions of Latino artists in the United States since the mid-twentieth century, when the concept of a collective Latino identity began to emerge. Our America includes works by artists who participated in all the various artistic styles and movements, including abstract expressionism; activist, conceptual, and performance art; and classic American genres such as landscape, portraiture, and scenes of everyday life. 

      Exhibitions

      Media - 2011.12 - SAAM-2011.12_1 - 77591
      Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art
      October 25, 2013March 2, 2014
      Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art presents the rich and varied contributions of Latino artists in the United States since the mid-twentieth century, when the concept of a collective Latino identity began to emerge.

      More Artworks from the Collection

      Rosemarie Castoro, Hexatryst, 1979, mixed media: fiberglass, plastic, copper, suede and paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the General Services Administration, 1980.49.4
      Hexatryst
      Date1979
      mixed media: fiberglass, plastic, copper, suede and paper
      Not on view
      Luis Jiménez, Model for "Fiesta", 1986, cast fiberglass, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the General Services Administration, Public Buildings Service, 1987.14.1, © 1986, Luis Jiménez
      Model for Fiesta”
      Date1986
      cast fiberglass
      On view
      Maria Faedo, A Matter of Trust, 1994, paper on fiberglass screen with cotton thread, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1995.21
      A Matter of Trust
      Date1994
      paper on fiberglass screen with cotton thread
      Not on view