Posada and Mexico: Identity through Art

Research Update

For this week, I wanted to look at how some of the themes that Posada used in his art and how they reflect the Mexican identity with death.  With that said, I decided to start with an article that focused on art history by Ilan Stavans.  The purpose behind using this article would be to gain the background or at least understanding behind the work that Posada produced.  Art history will typically look at other aspects of the art including the material and tools used to create it, but for the purpose of this blog entry I will focus on the historical meaning behind the work that is given in this article.  I hope to be able to find a book on the subject matter so I could have a more detailed analysis on the matter, but I will work with this brief introduction.  I may do something special regarding contemporary Day of the Dead celebrations next week (since that is when the actual observance occurs) and I also hope to find more information regarding the psychological understanding of death and dying for Mexico.  For now, we shall focus our discussion on Posada and his contributions to Mexican identity.

 Jose Guadalupe Posada, Lampooner

The author, Stavans, throughout the work produces a biography on Posada.  For Posada, he started off mainly as a satirist poking fun at the various political functions occurring during his lifetime (1852-1913) especially the reign of the Bonaparte family tied to France and the Mexican Revolution in the 20th Century.   This use of humor was a continuity throughout his career, but it would take a dramatic turn with his correspondence to the editor and  publisher Antonio Vanegas Arroyo in 1895.  In fact, "it is commonly thought that Posada, during his association with Arroyo, created the calavera -a humourous, vivid drawing of dressed-up skulls or skeletons engaged in activities such as dancing, cycling, guitar playing, drinking, or masquerading." (Stavans 59)  As has been discussed previously, the calavera has become a symbol of the Mexican Days of the Dead festivals and this is merely its origin.  Posada sought to exemplify his use of political humor towards the various government actions. (such works include the ones depicted below)  I also am presenting an image that has previously been used in my blog posts (the second one featuring a calavera on a horse) because this article presented a piece of information that is quite relevant to finding his work.  As Stavans said,
"many of Posada's calaveras bear no signature, and over the years the works of countless imitators and forgers have been falsely attributed to him." (Stavans 62) This particular work could have been done by another artist Manuel Manilla.

The best discussion that Stavans presented on Posada regards how his art relates to Mexican identity.  The first line that was straight forward and gave an understanding of what inspired Posada to begin using the calavera in his art.  As Stavans put it, "originally, Posada simply intended to commemorate Mexico's 'Day of the Dead...'"(Stavans 61)  It was from this spur of motivation that helped his work become a national icon for that of Mexico.  Many that followed Posada would state that his art not only embodied the various themes of death, but also presented an imagery went hand in hand with Mexico.  "Posada was able to portray the sadism, torture, madness, superstition, and paranoia of his time through these incredibly complex, outstanding imaginative characters without ever losing touch with the Mexican soul, perhaps, because they inhabit it." (Stavans 70)  Along with  this, Stavans demonstrates that the artist Andre Breton believed that "...Mexico, with its superb funereal playthings, is the chosen land of black humor." (Stavans 69)   This idea of dark humor, exemplified through imagery of death that Posada used, has become the calling card for Mexico and explains why Mexico has such a sincere relationship with Posada.  As Stavans put it, "Posada is Mexico." (pg 70)

The above images are continued examples of Posada's work with death.  The first one depicts a satire of Don Quixote and the second one depicts an assassination attempt by Maria Antonia Rodriguez of her friend.  I chose this image not just because of the assassination attempt, but also the imagery of demons actually preventing the assassination.  It is an example of his art that does not include a calavera but still invokes the ideas of death and dying associated with Mexico.

Source(s) Cited: Stavans, Ilan.  "Jose Guadalupe Posada, Lampooner." The Journal of Decorative and Propoganda Arts 16 no. 2 (Summer 1990) http://www.jstor.org/stable/1504066 (accessed Oct. 27, 2013).