A gun fight between those supporting the Agrarian cause and the military during the Mexican Revolution

Art Historical Context

This dynamic zincograph, titled *A Gun Fight Between Those Supporting the Agrarian and the Military During the Revolution*, captures the chaos Mexico's 1910–1920 civil war. Created around 1911 by master printmaker José Guadalupe Posada it depicts armed agrarian rebels—champions of land reform against oppressive landowners and federal forces—clashing with mounted soldiers. Posada, a prolific artist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, used his prints to document social upheavals, giving voice to the revolutionary fervor that reshaped Mexico under leaders like Emiliano Zapata. Printed on a modest 7 1/16 × 4 1/16 in. zinc plate, this zincograph exemplifies Posada's innovative technique: a cost-effective variant of lithography that allowed mass production of broadsheets for everyday audiences. His bold lines, dramatic compositions, and unflinching realism in portraying horses, guns, and determined fighters reflect the graphic style of Mexican popular art, blending satire with stark social commentary. Gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1929 by artist Jean Charlot, a devotee of Posada's legacy, this print endures as a vivid window into revolutionary Mexico. It highlights the Agrarian struggle's cultural resonance, reminding us how art fueled calls for justice amid violence.

About the Artist

José Guadalupe Posada|Jean Charlot · 1852–1913

José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913) was a Mexican printmaker and engraver who revolutionized popular art and created some of the most iconic images in Mexican culture. Working primarily with publisher Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, he produced over 20,000 images during his career—inexpensive broadsheets sold for a penny on colored paper that made his art accessible to even the poorest workers. He transform...