Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
23 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
24 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
25 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
26 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Mexico Oaxaca ‘El Mural Que Debió Ser’ (‘The Mural That Should’ve Been’)
AO Edited

‘El Mural Que Debió Ser’ (‘The Mural That Should’ve Been’)

A modern feminist movement has brought to life the mural that machismo once denied to artist María Izquierdo.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Added By
linkogecko
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
  linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
  linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
  linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
  linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Born in 1902, María Izquierdo became one of Mexico’s most accomplished female artists of the 20th century, with a career similar to Frida Kahlo’s. Both became famous for their canvas paintings, rather than murals, which was Mexico’s defining artistic expression at the time. While Kahlo’s notable relationship was with Diego Rivera, Izquierdo’s was with Rufino Tamayo, both men known for painting on canvas and walls.

In 1945, Izquierdo was offered the opportunity to paint a large mural in Mexico City’s government headquarters, potentially making her the first female Mexican artist to undertake such a public commission. However, the offer was rescinded, and Izquierdo passed away in 1955 without ever creating a similar mural.

Izquierdo is also known for her damning quote: “It is a crime to be born a woman, it’s an even greater crime to be born a woman with talent.” The statement hints at the suspected reasons behind the cancellation of her proposed mural. Some believe that Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and José Clemente Orozco—Mexico’s three most prominent muralists—led a boycott against her. Izquierdo’s sketches for the mural, depicting Mexico City’s history from its Indigenous roots to its post-Industrial Revolution social ideals, almost exclusively featured women. Despite previous collaborations with female artists, like the U.S.-born sisters Marion and Grace Greenwood, the male muralists disapproved of this concept and dismissed Izquierdo as “incapable and inexperienced,” resulting in the mural’s cancellation.

In 2021, curator Dea López sought to revive Izquierdo’s project on an exterior wall in the city of Oaxaca. On March 8th (International Women’s Day), 110 volunteers—mostly women—gathered to recreate the sketch at large scale, with a few variations. While Izquierdo’s original concept included a few men, this new version exclusively featured female characters, to affirm its feminist intentions. Over the course of four days, they completed their work, which now prominently displays its title: “El Mural Que Debió Ser” (The Mural That Should Have Been).

Related Tags

Feminism Women Women's History Murals

Know Before You Go

The wall the mural is found on is visible from a public street and therefore visible at all times, although lighting after dark is minimal.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Oaxaca: Markets, Mezcal & Home-Cooked Meals

A Culinary and Cultural Journey Through Oaxaca.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

linkogecko

Published

April 3, 2025

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-brooklyn-born-sisters-diego-rivera-dubbed-the-greatest-living-women-mural-painters
  • https://www.admagazine.com/cultura/los-murales-desconocidos-de-rufino-tamayo-20200623-7024-articulos
  • https://www.esmeralda.edu.mx/maria-izquierdo
  • https://www.dealopez.com/elmuralquedebi
  • https://www.admagazine.com/articulos/el-mural-que-debio-ser-el-proyecto-que-reivindica-la-obra-de-maria-izquierdo
‘El Mural Que Debió Ser’ (‘The Mural That Should’ve Been’)
108 Aldama
Oaxaca, 68080
Mexico
17.064041, -96.716611
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Mercado de la Merced

Oaxaca, Mexico

miles away

Panteón General (General Cemetery)

Oaxaca, Mexico

miles away

Post Mortem Chapel

Oaxaca, Mexico

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oaxaca

Oaxaca

Mexico

Places 18
Stories 5

Nearby Places

Mercado de la Merced

Oaxaca, Mexico

miles away

Panteón General (General Cemetery)

Oaxaca, Mexico

miles away

Post Mortem Chapel

Oaxaca, Mexico

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oaxaca

Oaxaca

Mexico

Places 18
Stories 5

Related Places

  • Oxford, Massachusetts

    Clara Barton Birthplace Museum

    This historic home and museum celebrates the life story of the female founder of the American Red Cross.

  • Concord, Massachusetts

    Grave of Anne Rainsford French

    The first woman in the United States to get a driver's license is buried here.

  • Pilt Carin Ersdotter

    Nacka, Sweden

    Pilt Carin Ersdotter Statue

    A sculpture of a woman so beautiful she got arrested for it.

  • Suffragette Umbrella Stand

    Glasgow, Scotland

    Suffragette Umbrella Stand

    A discarded umbrella stand from a women's prison is an object of pride at a library that is dedicated to women's culture and achievements.

  • A tudor style A-frame house set in a picturesque garden with a manicured lawn and rock walls.

    Wessington Springs, South Dakota

    Shakespeare Garden & Anne Hathaway Cottage

    After a local English teacher visited Stratford-upon-Avon, she was inspired to create a garden and home in the Bard's honor.

  • Detail - Evelyn Nesbit.

    New York, New York

    ‘The Gilded Lady’

    A vibrant, 100-foot-tall mural dedicated to Evelyn Nesbit, the tragic icon of the Gilded Age.

  • A bronze fast of a female face atop a pedestal with a lighthouse in the background

    New York, New York

    Girl Puzzle Monument

    An art installation commemorates journalist Nellie Bly's undercover reporting inside a New York asylum.

  • bronze statue of a woman with a samurai sword and fan in a kimono

    Kyoto, Japan

    Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni

    The groundbreaking Japanese shrine maiden who invented the art of kabuki.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.