Broadsheet with two different songs showing a group of men huddled around a woman on the left and a group of people holding glasses on the right

Art Historical Context

This vibrant broadsheet, produced by publisher Antonio Vanegas Arroyo in collaboration with celebrated Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada around 1890–1910, showcases two popular songs through contrasting scenes. On the left, a cluster of men gathers intently around a woman, evoking themes of courtship or social intrigue, while the right side depicts a lively group toasting with glasses, capturing moments of communal revelry and camaraderie. Printed using zincograph—a photomechanical relief process ideal for bold, high-contrast illustrations—and letterpress on affordable tan paper, these 11 13/16 × 7 7/8 in. sheets were designed for mass distribution. Posada's dynamic, satirical style, rooted in Mexico's tradition of popular printmaking, brought news, ballads (corridos), and everyday vignettes to the working class during a time of rapid urbanization and cultural ferment. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department as part of The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, this piece highlights the duo's prolific output of over 20,000 broadsheets. It offers a window into late 19th-century Mexican social life, blending text and image to entertain and inform ordinary folk with wit and immediacy.