An intriguing study of the popular culture of early twentieth century Mexico as seen through the penny broadsheets--bullfighters, bandits, politics, and the revolution.

This book captures and reveals the intriguing complexities of daily life in Mexico, from its artistic pursuits to its political and economic patterns. It is of interest to students who during their professional career expect to come into contact with citizens of Mexican origin in the United States.

This second edition of 'Mexico' is a comprehensive guide that deftly captures Mexico's vibrancy, colour and rich history. From Baja's wale-filled bays and alluring resorts to Mexico City's colonial charm to jungles filled with Mayan ruins, the author describes the best sights to visit and how to visit them.

Thomas McGann Memorial Prize, Rocky Mountain Council on Latin American Studies, 2017 Runner-up, Humanities Book Prize, Mexico Section of the Latin American Studies Association, 2018 In the wake of Mexico’s revolution, artists played a fundamental role in constructing a national identity centered on working people and were hailed for their contributions to modern art. Picturing the Proletariat examines three aspects of this artistic legacy: the parallel paths of organized labor and artists’ collectives, the relations among these groups and the state, and visual narratives of the worker. Showcasing forgotten works and neglected media, John Lear explores how artists and labor unions participated in a cycle of revolutionary transformation from 1908 through the presidency of Lázaro Cárdenas (1934–1940). Lear shows how middle-class artists, radicalized by the revolution and the Communist Party, fortified the legacy of the prerevolutionary print artisan José Guadalupe Posada by incorporating modernist, avant-garde, and nationalist elements in ways that supported and challenged unions and the state. By 1940, the state undermined the autonomy of radical artists and unions, while preserving the image of both as partners of the “institutionalized revolution.” This interdisciplinary book explores the gendered representations of workers; the interplay of prints, photographs, and murals in journals, in posters, and on walls; the role of labor leaders; and the discursive impact of the Spanish Civil War. It considers “los tres grandes”—Rivera, Siquieros, and Orozco—while featuring lesser-known artists and their collectives, including Saturnino Herrán, Leopoldo Méndez, Santos Balmori, and the League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists (LEAR). The result is a new perspective on the art and politics of the revolution.

"Off-the-beaten-path excursions, insider tips, not-to-be-missed lists, authentic experiences"--Cover.

Now available for the first time in English, this volume brings the distinctly Mexican flavor of José Guadalupe Posada's work home to the reader with the striking design of its uncoated pages in the three different colors of the Mexican flag: green, white and red. Interspersed with a varied selection of the artist's engravings--broadsheets, corridos, chapbooks, vignettes, calaveras, games and a long etcetera of miscellaneous material featuring subjects like bullfights, Day of the Dead and crimes of passion--are two long texts by recognized authorities on the work of Posada. One essay deals with Posada's place in the wider tradition of graphic art and engraving, even as it follows his remarkable career from lithographer in the Mexican provinces to "popular" artist representing the quintessential expression of the Mexican Revolution at the beginning of the twentieth century. The other looks at Posada's role as a "professional of the image" in the changing world of publishing for a nascent but fast-growing reading public in late-nineteenth-century Mexico. Finally, the volume contains a biographical chronology of Posada's life and work, a bibliography and more than 600 fascinating reproductions.