(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Social Satire to Cultural Icon: La Catrina. [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-10-24 At this time of year she's everywhere. From dollar store knickknacks and Halloween decorations to elaborate costumes and makeup. In the American West she's a presence all year round. She shows up on tee shirts, in films, in home decor and Mexican restaurants, import shops, art galleries, car shows and tattoo parlors. Elegant, whimsical, charming, scary, and perhaps the world's most popular memento mori. She is La Catrina Calavera. Her image has become the inspiration for Halloween costumes. La Catrina is popular with tattoo aficionados. Figurines and dolls, which can be quite elaborate and expensive, are favorites with collectors of Mexican folk art. Variations of her are printed on tee shirts and other clothing. A scene from the 2014 animated movie The Book of Life. Before she (and eventually her male counterpart Catrin) became the face of Day of the Dead celebrations, La Catrina was a very sharp political cartoon. One which satirized Mexican citizens who rejected their own culture in favor of embracing European fashions, culture, and lifestyle. She's the creation of the Mexican artist Jose Guadalupe Posada, and first appeared in 1910. Catrin, (female Catrina) is a Spanish slang word meaning "well-dressed" or "dandy". Calavera means "skull". In Mexico in 1910 a serious backlash was growing against the wealthy classes and their ostentatious obsession with everything European. That backlash extended to the Mexican government, particularly the president, Porfirio Diaz. His extensive corruption eventually led to his overthrow in 1911 during the Mexican Revolution. Posada's artwork appeared in broadsides published in the Mexican press, accompanied by text written by others. The idea of Death as "the great leveler" appears in cultures worldwide and since the most ancient times. Posada's creation, whether despite or because of it's pointedly satirical depiction of the vanity and ultimate futility of pursuing upper class ideals, managed to capture the hearts and imaginations of the Mexican people. She was born as an image of contempt for the ways of the wealthy and privileged, in the earliest stirrings of the Mexican Revolution. But when the revolution ended in 1920 she didn't disappear; her popularity grew, fueled by the genius of generations of Mexican artists. In this detail of Diego Rivera's 1947 mural "Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park", La Catrina is a central figure. To her left, her arm is held by her original creator Jose Guadalupe Posada. To her right, she holds hands with Diego Rivera as a child. Directly behind Rivera is Frieda Kahlo, who rests her hand on the shoulder of the child her husband once was. Today, what began as a symbol of the anger at the diminishment of Mexican culture and tradition has itself become a beloved part of that culture and it's traditions. This mural in Chicago was painted in 2018 by Mexican artist Gerardo "Fosil" Rivera. It depicts Jose Guadalupe Posada at work. Thank you for reading. This is an open thread, all topics are welcome. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/story/2023/10/24/2201112/-Social-Satire-to-Cultural-Icon-La-Catrina Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/