The brave man from Gaudalajara facing a tiger

Art Historical Context

In the spirited world of early 20th-century Mexican printmaking, José Guadalupeada's *The Brave Man from Guadalajara Facing a Tiger* (ca. 1900) captures a dramatic confrontation straight from folklore. This tiny type-metal engraving—measuring just 3¼ × 4⅞ inches—likely portrays a heroic figure from Guadalajara boldly facing a tiger, amid scenes involving men and women, ev tales of courage and adventure in everyday Mexican life. Posada excelled in type-metal engraving, a relief printing technique where images are incised into metal plates (often repurposed from typography) for bold, high-contrast black-and-white reproductions. This affordable method fueled Mexico's calaveras and broadsheet tradition, making art accessible to the masses and blending satire with cultural storytelling. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by artist Jean Charlot in 1929, this print from the Drawings and Prints department highlights Posada's enduring influence on graphic arts, preserving a snapshot of bravado and the wild at the turn of the century.

About the Artist

José Guadalupe Posada|Jean Charlot · 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...