Mexican Art and Culture by Elizabeth Lewis

Lewis talks about the tradition of creating little figures made from bread dough, and tiny clay skeletons of wedding couples, priests hearing confessions and policemen. Above is another example of a skeleton made for Day of the dead by a Mexican family. It is made from clay and has been decorated with painted patterns.

Lewis also says that 'an important part of Day of the Dead celebrations is the acceptance and mockery of death. This is shown by the calavera or skeletons whcih can be seen everywhere during the festival in all sorts of funny poses. They were inspired by Jose Guadalupe Posada, a 19th century Mexican artist and political cartoonist. he liked to draw skulls and skeletons to show how short life is and to make death seem less serious to the living. In his drawings he showed that whether you were a peasant or politician, in death we are all the same".

This is an example of his work below.