Día de los Muertos

Also known as All Souls Day, the traditional Mexican holiday of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) takes place November 1–2. It’s believed that the gates of the land of the dead open on the night of October 31, and souls are allowed to cross over to visit their living families—children’s souls on November 1 and adults’ souls on November 2.

Explore what makes Día de los Muertos special with a few objects from SAMA's permanent collection.

Trees of Life

Tree of Life, Mexico, ca. 1968, Ceramic and paint, height: 69 in. (175.3 cm); width: 61 in. (154.9 cm), San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Mexican Government (Hemisfair Confluence Museum, 1968), 69.13.43

Trees of life are a standard of Mexican popular art typically handmade from clay and have a tree-like structure. The limbs may be decorated with flowers, angels, animals, or other items, and can convey any number of themes and activities.

Trees of Death

Tree of Death, Metepec, México state, Mexico, 1978, Ceramic and wire, height: 42 in. (106.7 cm); width: 27 1/2 in. (69.9 cm); depth: 8 in. (20.3 cm), San Antonio Museum of Art, The Nelson A. Rockefeller Folk Art Collection, 85.98.2310

This Tree of Death is an example of the Tree of Life popular art tradition where the central theme is death imagery associated with the Day of the Dead. Trees of life with death imagery may be placed on Day of the Dead altars to memorialize loved ones. 

Alebrijes

The Linares Family, Alebrije, 1968, Papier-mâché, paint, varnish, height: 15 in. (38.1 cm); width: 16 in. (40.6 cm); depth: 18 in. (45.7 cm), San Antonio Museum of Art, The Nelson A. Rockefeller Mexican Folk Art Collection, 85.98.599.a, © The Linares Family

Alebrijes are sculptures of fantastical creatures painted in bright colors. They are a more recent form of cartoneria—the art of making papier-mâché sculptures. Cartoneria has been a cornerstone of Mexican popular art since the sixteenth century. 

You may also recognize a modern adaptation of alebrijes from the Disney movie Coco.

Skeletons

The most recognizable symbol of the holiday, skulls and skeletons are prominent in the Museum’s collection.

Skeleton Street Vendor

Miguel Linares, Mexican, born 1946, Skeleton Street Vendor, ca. 1970, Papier-mâché, paint, wire, and cord, height: 39 in. (99.1 cm); width: 12 in. (30.5 cm); depth: 14 in. (35.6 cm), San Antonio Museum of Art, The Nelson A. Rockefeller Mexican Folk Art Collection, 85.98.591.a-e, © Miguel Linares

This skeleton figure represents a vendor of small birds such as those typically seen along the waterways surrounding Mexico City. This work honoring the bird sellers of the region was made by Miguel Linares.

San Pascualito

San Pascualito, Guatemala, 19th century, Polychromed wood and straw, height: 15 3/4 in. (40 cm); width: 6 7/8 in. (17.5 cm); depth: 4 in. (10.2 cm), San Antonio Museum of Art, purchased with funds provided by the Friends of Folk Art, 92.22

San Pascualito is a popular saint associated with the sixteenth-century Spanish friar San Pascual Bailón. He is venerated in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, and in Guatemala, where he performed a miracle that led to his renown. 

Tripod Plate

Tripod Plate, Maya, ca. A.D. 700-900, Earthenware and paint, diameter: 12 3/8 in. (31.4 cm), San Antonio Museum of Art, The D. Joseph Judge, M.D. Collection donated by the Judge Family, 2002.25.1

This black-on-cream painted vessel has several representations of human or animal bones indicating a focus on burial ceremonies. These bones perhaps speak to Mesoamerican ideas about death and the underworld, which resonate in today’s Día de los Muertos celebrations.  

Food

Placing the favorite foods of the departed, or traditional treats like pan de muerto, on an ofrenda is said to help encourage their souls to visit over the two-day holiday.

El Pollo Loco

Cecilia Bacilio Felipe, Mexican, n.d., El Pollo Loco, 2010, Earthenware and paint, 14 3/16 × 26 × 17 3/16 in. (36.1 × 66 × 43.7 cm), San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Enrique and Melissa Guerra, 2020.3.a-d, © Cecilia Bacilio Felipe

The artist Cecilia Basilio Felipe creates a lively scene from a small restaurant she named “El Pollo Loco,” or “The Crazy Chicken.” This piece is representative of the ceramic tradition in Ocumicho, known for its women ceramicists and the dynamism of its figures.

Music

An important part of every culture, music has been a staple of Mexican celebrations for centuries.

Guitarra Conchera

Guitarra Conchera, Mexico, ca. 1930, Wood, paint, cloth, wire, armadillo shell, and bone inlay, length: 36 in. (91.4 cm); width: 10 in. (25.4 cm); depth: 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm), San Antonio Museum of Art, The Nelson A. Rockefeller Mexican Folk Art Collection, 85.98.691

A guitarra conchera is a twelve-stringed variation of the mandolin that is used by conchero dancers. Concheros are dance and ceremonial groups that originated in Mexico during the early colonial period. They often wear feathered headdresses like those on the figures painted here.

Community

People are the most important part of any celebration. The San Antonio Museum of Art bring people together with art, history, and culture.

SAMA's collection includes approximately 10,000 works of Latin American art. Visit the Museum for more insight into Día de los Muertos, to participate in cultural events, and to continue learning through art.