Calavera Madero 1910

Curator: Here we have José Guadalupe Posada's "Calavera Madero", currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. It measures about 35 by 19 centimeters. Editor: What a striking figure! The cross-hatching creates such a tangible texture—the straw hat looks almost prickly. Curator: Posada was a master printmaker, and this piece, like many of his calaveras, likely started as a zinc etching. These were printed on broadsides and were aimed at a wide audience. Editor: The bottle and sarape draped over the skeletal figure—these are potent symbols of Mexican identity. It suggests a playful yet critical commentary on culture and class. Curator: Precisely! And consider how the printing process allowed for mass distribution, making social satire accessible to the working class. Editor: There's a dark humor here, a memento mori that's also festive. The symbols invite us to contemplate the human story. Curator: Indeed, it makes you consider the labor involved in producing and disseminating these images. Editor: It is a remarkable piece, and the symbols remain quite powerful.