The artwork, titled “The artistic purgatory, where the calaveras of artists and craftsmen lie,” was created by Jose Guadalupe Posada and belongs to the Modernismo art movement. The artwork falls within the caricature genre, conveying a satirical perspective on its subject matter.
This intricately detailed black-and-white illustration depicts an array of skeletal figures—referred to as calaveras—engaged in various artistic and craft activities within a purgatorial setting. The calaveras represent artists and craftsmen from diverse vocations, each characterized with distinct attributes relevant to their profession. The upper portion of the artwork reveals a vividly chaotic scene with skeletal figures immersed in the landscape, conveying the turmoil of this artistic purgatory. Below this scene, individual caricatures of specific calaveras are depicted, each accompanied by textual descriptions that highlight their traits and foibles with humor and irony. The artwork serves as a poignant commentary on the lives and labors of artists and craftsmen, blending elements of satire and social critique.