The artwork titled “Los 41 maricones,” created by José Guadalupe Posada, is a notable piece within the Modernismo art movement and belongs to the caricature genre. The artwork vividly encapsulates the event involving 41 individuals apprehended at a gathering on the 20th of November, 1901, as indicated in the text of the piece.
In this caricature, Posada employs his distinctive style to depict a lively scene filled with animated figures. Central to the composition is a group of individuals engaged in dancing, characterized by exaggerated expressions and dynamic poses typical of caricature. The scene oscillates between a sense of festivity and social commentary, capturing the attitudes and nuances of the period. The figures are dressed in a mix of traditional and formal attire, with detailed costumes adding to the elaborate depiction. Through his satirical lens, Posada has immortalized an event that resonates within the socio-cultural context of early 20th-century Mexico, using humor and stylistic exaggeration to comment on the mores and public perception of the time.
