Tamales at the Alamo 1928

Bernhardt Wall created this print, ‘Tamales at the Alamo’, probably around the time the ink was invented. Jokes! But, seriously, what was he thinking? I love the scratched, kind of haphazard line work—the way it captures the Alamo, not just as a building but as a living, breathing, crumbling thing. The sky is like a fluffy cartoon thought bubble. And then, down in the corner, there's this little vignette of people selling tamales. It makes me wonder if Wall was hungry. Was he thinking about art or lunch? Maybe both! It’s like Wall is saying, hey, history is heavy, but life goes on. People need to eat. It kind of reminds me of Pieter Bruegel, you know? The way he mixes the everyday with the epic. Anyway, enjoy the print, and maybe grab a tamale after.