Jorge Ortega: Day of the Dead Catrina Alebrije Woodcarving
Jorge Ortega: Day of the Dead Catrina Alebrije Woodcarving
This elegant Day of the Dead skeleton lady, known in Mexico as La Catrina, is a wonderfully expressive Oaxacan wood carving. With her hands confidently placed on her hips, long dress and spectacular sweeping hat, she has the poised presence that makes the Catrina one of the most recognizable figures of Dia de los Muertos.
The carving is beautifully elongated, giving the figure a graceful silhouette while allowing the enormous hat to become its sculptural centerpiece. Fine hand painted patterns cover her dress, bodice and sleeves, while the skull face is treated with especially delicate detail. The contrast between the slender body and broad circular hat makes this Mexican folk art sculpture particularly striking.
La Catrina symbolizes the equality of all people in the face of death. Her origins trace back to Jose Guadalupe Posada’s satirical La Calavera Garbancera, later transformed into the elegantly dressed Catrina familiar today through Diego Rivera. Over time she became closely associated with Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrations, where skeleton imagery treats death with remembrance, humor and an acceptance of its place in life.
