“Calavera Katrina” , “Skull of Katrina” or simply “Katrina” ( Spanish: La Calavera de la Catrina ) - zinc engraving by Mexican artist Jose Guadalupe Posada , created in 1913 . The image has become a symbol of Mexican fine art and is often used in artistic compositions dedicated to the Day of the Dead (November 1-2), such as an altar and a calavera costume . The image is part of a series of "calaver" (from Spanish. Calavera - "skull") of the artist - humorous images of figures of contemporaries made in the form of skeletons and often accompanied by poems.
| Calavera Katrina . | ||
The word “Katrina” ( Spanish: catrina ) is a feminine form of the word catrín , which means “dandy”. The figure depicted in a flower-decorated hat, fashionable at the beginning of the 20th century , is designed to show that the rich and fashionable, despite their claim to importance, are just as mortal as everyone else.
At the time of Posada, Katrina was very popular, but was forgotten shortly after his death. Like the rest of Posada’s work, it was found and popularized again by the French artist and historian Jean Charlot shortly after the Mexican Revolution . Katrina quickly became a symbol of unique Mexican art, it began to be reproduced in a large number of copies and options. In particular, this image is included in Diego Rivera ’s monumental painting “A Sunday Night Dream in Alameda Park” ( Spanish: Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda Central ), which also depicts Posada, Rivera and his wife Frida Kahlo .
A fragment of Diego Rivera’s painting “A Sunday Night Dream in Alameda Park”. At the right hand of Katrina are the artist’s wife, Frida Kahlo, and Rivera himself - in the form of a child; on the left hand - José Guadalupe Posada. Wall Painting, Mexico City
Two Katrina, figures about 40 cm tall
Figurines of Katrina - one of the attributes of the Day of the Dead
