Monument to a Hero belongs to a discrete group of works by Rufino Tamayo that focuses on themes of revolution and historical figures, showcasing the idiosyncratic way in which the artist engaged with Mexican history. Rather than depicting a specific moment or event with a clear narrative, Tamayo instead relies on sculptural representations and unexpected details to create an air of fantasy. Here, the marble bust mounted atop a pedestal stands in for the figure of the hero being represented, allowing Tamayo to refer more to the artistic process of memorialization than to the unnamed individual. The monument itself incongruously crowns a fragment of colonial architecture—perhaps suggesting the rise of a new order—as the silhouette of a mountain anchors the background.