The father of Mexican anthropology, Manuel Gamio (1883–1960) was dedicated to indigenous Americans: he helped to establish national Indian institutes in the majority of American countries; improved the Indian quality of life through work in sanitation; and published exhaustively on Indian laws and customs. Receiving degrees from Columbia University, Gamio was the first scholar to utilize scientific methods in archeological work in Mexico. He also served as the director of the Instituto Indigenista Interamericano from 1942 until his death. In his work, Gamio developed a method called “integral investigation,” which focuses on the population and the environment as a holistic subject; this method accounts for evolution over time, and strives to improve the lives of subjects. He also improved the definition of an Indian, basing identification—not just on race or language—but instead on the preservation of significant pre-Hispanic elements and institutions. Furthermore, he raised awareness that the exaltation of indigenous cultures has often masked exploitation and degradation of that community. This essay, “Department of Fine Arts,” was published in Forjando Patria—a collection of thirty-four essays on Latin American nationalities, the redemption of the indigenous class, anthropology, science, history, and politics. Published in 1916, during the Mexican Revolution (c. 1910–20), the essay suggests anxiety over Mexican national identity, and the viability of integrating all facets of Mexican culture, including that of indigenous populations.