Mexican newspapers achieved prominence with society’s elite during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Illustrated broadsides, on the other hand, were popular with the lower socio-economic populace. Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, the most noted publisher of broadsides in Mexico City, produced news and stories akin to those found in modern sensationalized tabloids. Making the broadsides a visual feast was the work of José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913), a Mexican illustrator whose career spanned from 1871 until his death.
Posada touched on a variety of subjects, including politics, news and current events, religion and obituaries. He is best known for his illustrations of skeletons, or calaveras, which refer to poems accompanied by images of skeletal figures used to critique the social elite and political leaders of the day. Poems acted as satirical commentary dedicated to those still living, while the calaveras represented the notion that everyone is equal in death, regardless of wealth and social status.
Broadsides provided news, proclamations and public information to the masses. They were less expensive and quicker to mass-produce than traditional newspapers, and intended as temporary documents to be consumed and discarded. Arroyo’s broadsides typically contain more images than traditional printed media, thus serving as a favorable medium for illustrators such as José Guadalupe Posada.