Forty-two guesses

Art Historical Context

"Forty-two Guesses" is a charming type-metal engraving from around 1900–1910, created by the prolific Mexican printmaker José Guadalupe Posada in collaboration with engraver José Sanchez and publisher Antonio Vanegas Arroyo. Measuring just 6⅝ × 4⅝ inches, this intimate print exemplifies the bold, satirical broadsides that flooded Mexico City's streets during the Porfiriato era, humor with social commentary through affordable relief printing techniques. Type-metal engraving allowed for sharp, durable reproductions ideal for mass distribution via newspapers and chapbooks. Featuring boys and animals—a nod to the playful riddles and guessing games popular in popular culture—the artwork likely captures a whimsical puzzle scene, inviting viewers to decipher its "forty-two guesses." Posada's signature style, rooted in folk art traditions, uses stark black-and-white contrasts and exaggerated forms to engage everyday audiences, foreshadowing the graphic vitality of modern Mexican art. Today, this piece resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, a gift from Roberto Berdecio in 1960, offering a window into early 20th-century Mexico's vibrant print culture.

About the Artist

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

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