Los Lagartijos (The Dandies) 1942

This is Los Lagartijos (The Dandies), made by José Guadalupe Posada, we don’t know exactly when. It’s a relief print, so it's all about the touch, the pressure, the way the ink grabs onto the paper. Look at how Posada creates a whole world with just lines! The figures are all dressed up, but there’s something a little stiff, a little comical about them. They’re like paper dolls, caught in a moment of self-importance. Notice the textures he creates with the cross-hatching and the dots? It’s not just about showing us what these dandies look like, but about how they feel, how they present themselves. Posada was the master of everyday life. Think about his famous calaveras, the skeleton figures he made. They’re all about reminding us that life is fleeting, so maybe these dandies, with all their finery, are just another part of the dance. It’s a conversation, a reflection on who we are and how we present ourselves to the world.