Arrieta sought to recover the pictorial genre of the still life charged with symbolism, which had been very common in the 16th century before developing in the 17th century into a simple representation of nature.
The Academy of San Carlos did not even include still-life painting on its curriculum, but Arrieta undertook to salvage the genre, portraying exotic Mexican foods and utensils used specifically in the cuisine of Puebla.
The most attractive features of his still lifes are the realism of the textures, the brilliant colors of the fruit, and the realistic rendering of glass, although his critics have objected to the lack of any logic between certain opposing elements, such as his representation of a hieratic cat next to a chicken.

Arrieta also painted portraits of several important figures in the society of Puebla, but his critics, including the historian Guillermo Prieto, have pointed out deficiencies in his handling of anatomy, as for example his rendering of hands, as well as the poor quality of his drapery.

With his ideas that went against the current of his time and place, Arrieta enjoyed scant popularity and lived in poverty all his life.
The reputation of this important Mexican painter, a pioneer of the nationalist school, was rehabilitated by Luis Bello y Zetina in his book Pinturas Poblanas, written in 1943.

Bernardo Olivares Iriarte, a critic and historian of the art of Puebla, described Arrieta’s works in 1874 as “compositions of sufficient merit, owing to the truth and complete verisimilitude he has achieved in them.
Everyone agrees that, up to now, [Arrieta] has had no rival in the city in works of this kind.”
Arrieta sought to recover the pictorial genre of the still life charged with symbolism, which had been very common in the 16th century before developing in the 17th century into a simple representation of nature. The Academy of San Carlos did not even include still-life painting on its curriculum, but Arrieta undertook to salvage the genre, portraying exotic Mexican foods and utensils used specifically in the cuisine of Puebla. The most attractive features of his still lifes are the realism of the textures, the brilliant colors of the fruit, and the realistic rendering of glass, although his critics have objected to the lack of any logic between certain opposing elements, such as his representation of a hieratic cat next to a chicken.
Arrieta also painted portraits of several important figures in the society of Puebla, but his critics, including the historian Guillermo Prieto, have pointed out deficiencies in his handling of anatomy, as for example his rendering of hands, as well as the poor quality of his drapery.
With his ideas that went against the current of his time and place, Arrieta enjoyed scant popularity and lived in poverty all his life. The reputation of this important Mexican painter, a pioneer of the nationalist school, was rehabilitated by Luis Bello y Zetina in his book Pinturas Poblanas, written in 1943.
Bernardo Olivares Iriarte, a critic and historian of the art of Puebla, described Arrieta’s works in 1874 as “compositions of sufficient merit, owing to the truth and complete verisimilitude he has achieved in them. Everyone agrees that, up to now, [Arrieta] has had no rival in the city in works of this kind.”
Agustín Arrieta