Penetente Death Cart & Death Figure c. 1937

Majel G. Claflin made this watercolor, "Penetente Death Cart & Death Figure," in the early 20th century. Claflin was working in a time when there was a growing interest in depicting and understanding regional cultures, particularly in the American Southwest. This image shows a "muerte," or death figure, riding on a cart. The Penitentes were a religious brotherhood that practiced self-flagellation and reenacted Christ’s Passion. These practices were often misunderstood and sensationalized by outsiders, who were both fascinated and repelled by the visual culture of the brotherhood. Claflin’s depiction of the death cart carries layers of meaning, evoking both the emotional intensity of religious devotion and the social complexities of cultural representation. The death figure is both macabre and strangely compelling; the personal and the communal become intertwined. This work invites us to consider how we grapple with themes of mortality, faith, and the narratives we construct about each other.