The artwork titled “El Jarabe En Ultratumba,” created by Jose Guadalupe Posada in 1910, is a notable example of the Modernismo art movement and belongs to the genre of caricature. This piece, like much of Posada’s work, utilizes skeletal figures to convey a scene imbued with cultural and satirical undertones.
In the artwork, several skeletons, depicted with intricate detail, are arranged in a lively, almost convivial dance and music-playing setting. One skeleton plays a stringed instrument while another appears to be pouring a drink from a barrel, contributing to the animated atmosphere. A male skeleton dressed in a sombrero engages in dance with a female skeleton dressed in traditional attire, their bony forms infused with a sense of motion and vitality. Other skeletal figures around them also participate in the festivities, one of whom seems to be serving food. The scene is rich in cultural symbolism and humor, reflecting societal themes through the characteristic style of caricature, accentuated by Posada’s distinct use of skeletal imagery.