Phys.org

Diego Rivera claimed his mural Creation was half wax, but chemical forensics says otherwise

Adorning the walls of San Ildefonso College in Mexico City is artist Diego Rivera's masterpiece, rendered in fresco and gold leaf, The Creation, or La Creacio. It depicts a man standing with his arms outstretched beneath a deep blue celestial disk studded with stars and constellations, while figures seated on clouds watch from either side. The work catalyzed the revival of the encaustic painting technique in the 1920s.