A recognizable image in both art and religious history, here Posada has presented “Our Lady of Guadalupe”, more commonly known as the Virgin Mary. Catholicism came to Mexico at the turn of the sixteenth century, and is practiced there widely to this day. Our Lady of Guadalupe has very strong indigenous roots, first associated with apparitions beginning in 1531 to peasant San Diego. The Virgin Mary, the patron saint of Mexico, often symbolizes a sense of hope amongst believers, and during the pre-revolution era in which Posada lived, it came to represent a symbol for new beginnings. This is seen as a direct outreach to the lower classes and as a sign of respect to those who were more genuinely religious.
José Guadalupe Posada (Mexican, 1852-1913)
A Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Soneto (To Our Lady of Guadalupe: A Sonnet), ca. 1902
Broadside, zincograph on paper
Miami University Art Museum Purchase
2014.55.19