Day of Dead art, specifically the use of calaveras as a way of burlesquing persons and institutions which were normally protected by censorship laws is a tradition that goes back very far, with both roots in the European and Indian traditions of Mexico. The Indian roots are mostly with the dual nature deities, whose “death side” was indicated by skeletal figures - the most famous survivor of that tradition is “La Santisima Muerte”. She is rooted in the cult of an Indian goddess whom the Aztecs called Mictlancihuatl - the name means “Lady of Death”. The European roots go back to the danse macabre and to the work of Hans Holbien the Younger - of whom the great Mexican illustrator Guadalupe Posada might be said to have carried on his traditions and brought them back to life. Posada was “rediscovered” by Diego Rivera, who promoted Posada in order to attach his own shining star to the calavera artist’s legend. His fascination with Posada was culminated with the completion of the mural, “Dream on a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park” has a rendition of the Catrina - Posada’s most famous calavera - in the middle of the scene, and even has a portrait of Posada there. Posada's interest in this subject, however, was probably brought about through the influence of the German Jewish exiled art critic Paul Westheim, who is the man who is really behind all of this interest in the Day of the Dead and in Posada. His book “La Calavera” is the most important book every written on the subject, in my opinion, and it pretty much sums up what Diego was originally exposed to when he was first enlighted on the the importance of Day of the Dead art in Mexico.

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