A man stabbing another man in the chest while his associates loot a store, from a broadside entitled 'The theft at La Profesa'
ca. 1890–1891
Medium
Type-metal engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 6 1/8 × 9 1/8 in. (15.5 × 23.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Jean Charlot, 1930
Accession Number
30.82.94
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the dramatic type-metal engraving *A man stabbing another man the chest while his associates loot a store*, from the broadside *The theft at La Prof* (ca. 1890–1891), José Posada captures a chaotic moment of urban violence. The Mexican printmaker, renowned for his stark, satirical illustrations in popular broadsides, depicts a brutal stabbing amid opportunistic looting, highlighting the raw brutality of street crime. Posada's bold, high-contrast lines and unflinching detail evoke immediate tension, drawing viewers into the frenzy. Created during Mexico's Porfiriato era under President Porf...
About the Artist
José Guadalupe Posada · 1852–1913
José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913) was a Mexican printmaker and engraver who revolutionized popular art and created some of the most iconic images in Mexican culture. Working primarily with publisher Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, he produced over 20,000 images during his career—inexpensive broadsheets sold for a penny on colored paper that made his art accessible to even the poorest workers. He transform...