The colorful, elegant skull has become a festive symbol of Dia de los Muertos. However, its original creation carried a much deeper meaning than the simple inevitability of death. The Catrina Calavera is a ubiquitous representation of the Day of the Dead. She is an emblematic figure in Mexican popular culture, forming part of the trinity that includes Santa Muerte, the Day of the Dead and La Catrina. She can be found in costumes, food, paintings and dolls. If you’re a fan of the good Day of the Dead vibes, we invite you to pick up our finest silver ring featuring a Mexican skull.
Wherever you look on the streets during Day of the Dead celebrations in Latin America, you’ll be reminded of a familiar face. A face that juxtaposes the macabre and the elegant. You’ll find it in children’s face paint, in women’s elaborate costumes, in the festival’s “bread of the dead”, or in every store window selling souvenirs and emblems of this uniquely atmospheric celebration.
This face has a well-defined appearance: a skull wearing an elegant embroidered hat, adorned with flowers. It’s La Calavera Catrina (the “elegant skull”), often simply called La Catrina. And as festive as it may seem, La Catrina’s presence in Mexican Day of the Dead mythology is a much deeper affirmation of mortality, fate and social class divisions.
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1) The Lady of the Dead
La Catrina was not the first great lady of the afterlife in Latin America. That honor belongs to Mictēcacihuātl, the Aztec underworld queen of Chicunamictlan. Her role was to watch over the bones of the dead, and her presence was at the heart of all gratitude to the departed.
Here’s an illustration of the Aztec goddess Mictēcacihuātl, referenced in the Codex Borgia manuscript, a Mesoamerican cult work said to have been written before the Spanish conquest.
And where had all the departed souls gone? The Mesoamerican belief was that the dead undertook a journey down nine levels to the depths of Chicunamictlan. The ancient vision of death was neither gloomy nor taboo for these peoples. They saw it as an integral part of the cycle of life, and celebrated the deceased by leaving offerings on improvised altars, called “ofrendas”, to help them on their subsequent journey.
These ofrendas continue to be associated with the Day of the Dead, which has also incorporated pagan and Catholic celebratory customs over the centuries. For example, the dates of these celebrations coincide with those of All Saints’ Day and the Feast of the Dead, on November 1 and 2 respectively. However, the defining image of the modern feast appeared much later and comes from an unexpected source.
2) Origins of a Mexican Icon
The skeleton with hat we know today was created in the early 1900s by artist José Guadalupe Posada. Posada was a controversial and politically committed cartoonist, beloved by the people. He drew and engraved skeletal skulls (calaveras) in a satirical manner to remind people that they would all die sooner or later.
It is said that he depicted the female skeleton as a dandy wearing a fancy feathered hat, as some Mexicans aspired to resemble the wealthy, aristocratic Europeans of the time. It was a satirical drawing to remind people to be themselves and stop trying to imitate someone else. No matter how rich or poor you are, no matter what your skin color, no matter what your place in society, we’ll all end up as skeletons. This was Posada’s message, with his many cavaleras cartoons illustrating various daily activities. One of his most popular sayings was “Death is democratic”. Simple, but so true!
Diego Rivera, famous artist and husband of Frida Kahlo, immortalized La Catrina in one of his murals depicting 400 years of Mexican history. The mural, entitled “Dreams of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park”, painted in 1942, features several important figures from Mexican culture. La Catrina is featured in this 15-metre fresco. Rivera also painted a self-portrait of himself as a child holding hands, with La Catrina in the foreground. He depicted her in sophisticated clothing and an extravagant feathered hat, creating the look for which she is now famous. This mural can be admired at the Diego Rivera Mural Museum in Mexico City. It’s well worth a visit if you’re passing through the city!
Since then, La Catrina has become a strong symbol of the many activities and celebrations of the Day of the Dead. Women dress and put on elegant make-up, reminiscent of the famous symbolic skeleton. Celebrations take place in the cemeteries (panteóns), where a joyful atmosphere reigns. Here, people joyfully commemorate their departed loved ones with flowers and some of their favorite food and drink from their lifetime.
La Catrina is a popular tourist fascination, and can be found in the form of wooden, clay or papier-mâché statues in many local Mexican stores. These statues are eloquently painted and real feathers are added to the hats. Many people buy them as souvenirs of their stay in Mexico. There’s no doubt that La Catrina is 100% Mexican! We were seduced by her, which is why we couldn’t resist offering the La Catrina T-Shirt.
The Lady of the Dead is a visually powerful image that reflects the way Mexicans perceive death and the afterlife. Every culture has its own traditions when it comes to death and mourning, both individually and as a family.
Mexico has a unique vision of this phenomenon of life, and prefers to approach it in a positive and passionate way. This doesn’t mean that they don’t mourn or regret the loss of a loved one. It simply means that they choose to celebrate life and the memories the person left behind, rather than wallow in their final departure.
Planning your next trip to Mexico during Día de los Muertos will certainly give you a good insight into the Mexican people and their perception of life and existence.
Catrina is about embracing your true nature and not pretending to be someone else. No matter what you look like or where you come from, we’ll all end up as mere skeletons!
3) La Calavera Catrina: Drawing by José Posada then Diego Rivera
Posada’s original sketch of La Calavera Catrina dates from around 1910. It was a satire referring to the obsessions of military leader Porfirio Diaz’s European high society. His corruption led to the Mexican Revolution of 1911 and the overthrow of his regime. Originally, the sketch’s name reflected the cultural appropriation adopted by certain members of Mexican society: La Calavera Garbancera. According to some sources, this term referred to a woman denying her Mexican culture in favor of European aesthetics. The later name “catrin” or “catrina” was often used in slang to refer to an elegantly dressed person, a “dandy”.
The original La Calavera Catrina comic strip, by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada. It is thought to have been drawn around 1910, when the Mexican revolution was gaining momentum.
The image was later transformed into a mural in Mexico City by Diego Rivera. He depicted an essential version of La Catrina wearing a long, ostentatious dress. This depiction of La Catrina held the hands of Posada, its original creator, as well as those of Rivera himself as a child, as his wife, the artist Frida Kahlo, looked on. The fresco, entitled “Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Center of Alameda”, became a cultural treasure and helped further amplify La Catrina’s image in the national consciousness.
This mural by Diego Rivera depicts the most significant moments and events in Mexican history.
4) Popular character of “Dia de los Muertos”
The adoption of La Catrina as a Day of the Dead emblem takes many forms today. Sugar skulls can be found in every store window, make-up and costumes sported by festival-goers the world over, whether male or female, Catrin or Catrina. In many ways, La Catrina links eras and their interpretations of death. Her elegant dress evokes celebration. Her unforgettable smile reminds us that there can be comfort in accepting mortality, and that the deceased should be remembered rather than feared. No matter who you are, we all share the same destiny. Finally, this image also nods to the ancient beliefs of this culture, according to which the guardian of the afterlife takes on a decidedly feminine form. 🔥THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS🔥
If you’re interested in Mexican folklore, check out our top articles on Mexican skulls, Calaveras, Santa Muerte and more!
