Broadsheet with two narrative love ballads, woman wearing a costume consisting of a leotard,cape, and boots
1915 (published)
Medium
Zincograph and letterpress on pink paper
Dimensions
Sheet: 11 13/16 × 8 3/16 in. (30 × 20.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1946
Accession Number
46.46.154
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of early 20th-century Mexican popular culture with this 1915 broadsheet, a collaborative print by celebrated artist José Guadalupe Posada publisher Antonio Vanegas Arroyo Titled *Broadsheet with two narrative love ballads, woman wearing a costume consisting a leotard, cape, and boots*, it a striking illustration of a woman in a fantastical outfit—evoking a theatrical heroine or circus performer—paired with lyrical text recounting romantic tales. Measuring just 11 13/16 × 8 3/16 inches, this affordable street-side publication was designed for everyday audiences in Mexico during the turbulent Mexican Revolution era. Printed via zincograph (a zinc-plate relief process for bold images) and letterpress on eye-catching pink paper, the work exemplifies Posada's mastery of accessible, satirical printmaking. His dynamic, black-line style captured the pulse of urban life, blending humor, drama, and social commentary in corridos—narrative ballads that spread news, folklore, and entertainment. This piece highlights themes of women and costumes, reflecting the era's fascination with performance and escapism amid political upheaval. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, 1946), it endures as a testament to Posada's influence on Mexican graphic art, inspiring later modernists like Diego Rivera. A snapshot of folk artistry's power to enchant and inform!
About the Artist
José Guadalupe Posada|Antonio Vanegas Arroyo · 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...