A woman reading a note while a man in the background looks over his shoulder at her, illustration for 'Coleccion de Cartas Amorosas Cuaderno No. 7,' published by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo

Art Historical Context

This charming type-metal engraving, titled *A woman reading a note a man in the background over his shoulder at her captures a moment of romantic intrigue from the *Coleccion de Cartasosas Cuaderno No.7*, a collection of love letters published by Vanegas Arroyo around 1880–1910. The intimate scene depicts a woman absorbed in reading a note, unaware of the man glancing back at her with evident curiosity or mischief. Rendered in stark black-and-white contrasts typical of popular Mexican prints, the small-scale image (just 5 5/16 × 3 7/16 in.) draws viewers into a playful narrative of courtship and secrecy. Created by the prolific Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada (often in collaboration with engravers like José Sanchez), this work exemplifies the vibrant tradition of illustrated broadsheets produced for Mexico City's working-class audiences. Vanegas Arroyo's press specialized in affordable "literatura de cordel"—penny pamphlets featuring corridos, poems, and love letters that entertained and reflected everyday life. Posada's bold lines and expressive profiles, as seen in the tags of men, women, portraits, and reading, made complex emotions accessible through mass-produced engravings. The technique of type-metal engraving allowed for durable, high-volume printing on inexpensive paper, democratizing art during Mexico's Porfiriato era. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (gift of Roberto Berdecio, 1960), this piece highlights Posada's influence on graphic storytelling, bridging folk culture and modern illustration.

About the Artist

José Sanchez|José Guadalupe Posada (Mexican|Mexican) · 1895 |1851 –1910 |1913

Mexican, active ca. 1900–1910|Mexican, 1851–1913