Demons dancing with women and bats flying through the sky

Art Historical Context

This zincograph by José Guadalupe Posada captures a lively yet eerie scene of demons dancing with women beneath a sky filled with bats. Created between 1880 and 1910, the small print exemplifies Posada’s signature style of blending Mexican folk traditions with sharp social commentary. Working primarily in Mexico City, Posada produced thousands of affordable broadsides and illustrations that drew on popular imagery, including skeletons, supernatural beings, and everyday life. The medium of zincograph allowed Posada to create bold, detailed lines that reproduced well on inexpensive paper, making his work accessible to a broad audience. Such prints often appeared in newspapers or as flyers during festivals like Día de los Muertos, using fantastical elements to reflect cultural beliefs and contemporary events. The presence of demons, dancing figures, and bats evokes both playful folklore and darker themes of mortality and the supernatural common in Posada’s oeuvre. Posada’s dynamic compositions influenced later generations of Mexican artists, including the muralists of the early twentieth century. Today, this intimate work in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection offers visitors a glimpse into the vibrant print culture that shaped modern Mexican visual identity.

About the Artist

José Sanchez|José Guadalupe Posada (Mexican|Mexican) · 1895 |1851 –1910 |1913

Mexican, active ca. 1900–1910|Mexican, 1851–1913