Papel Picado

Papel Picado

Every year on varying occasions, the streets and plazas across Mexico produce a soft, imperceptible hum that radiates above the sounds of music, laughter, and banter. It is a hum that comes from the hundreds of hanging cut-paper banners known as papel picado (perforated paper). Strung along the central plaza’s colorful kiosko (bandstand) across neighborhood streets and rooftops, papel picado designs herald the staging of festivities in honor of patron saints, Semana Santa (Holy

These examples of colorful papel picado hanging from a roof for November’s Día de los Muertos festivity show skeletons performing a number of daily activities, such as harvesting, eating, and dancing. They are but one example of the many different depictions from the nation’s history and culture found in papel picado design, and on display throughout the year in Mexico. (Agcuesta/Dreamstime.com)

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Week), Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), posadas (pre-Christmas festivities), and as private parties such as weddings, christenings, first communions, and Quince Años (coming-out parties for girls turning 15 years old). Everywhere you look on any day of the year, a visitor to Mexico will have little trouble encountering a sampling of papel picado floating in the wind. The origins of papel picado can be traced to ancient China, namesake of papel de china (tissue paper), where Ts’ai Lun, a Chinese court minister, is credited with inventing this form of paper around 105 BCE. Centuries of Euro-Asian trade and travel eventually brought paper, now with more practical adaptations, to the Muslim-controlled Iberian Peninsula, and for centuries Spain (and later Italy) became the leading paper producer in Europe. By the time of the Spanish conquest of Mexico, the paper industry was well established. That is perhaps one of the reasons why Spaniards dismissed similar pre-Columbian materials that fulfilled the role of paper and were widely used by pre-Hispanic civilizations, such as the amatl, and deerskin. Amatl, also known as amate, came from the inner bark of trees in the Ficus family, notably the Ficus glabrata (also known as the amate tree), and directly competed with Spanish paper production. To prevent this, Spanish authorities instituted a ban on its usage and introduced European paper throughout the newly conquered territories. Once the Pacific route linking the Spanish-controlled Philippines with Acapulco was formalized, paper was also brought from those lands. It was at that point that the Chinese learned to compete with Western paper factories, in turn providing variety, quality, and affordability to the new settlers of the Americas. Despite their initial overlap in terms of usage, there was little future for amate to serve as the basis for papel picado. Indeed, today there is no such thing as papel amate picado. Contemporary attempts to merge techniques have appeared, but this is not amate’s traditional usage. Samples of papel amate preserved from preHispanic and early colonial times show no evident connection with the later designs featured with papel picado. For instance, traditional amate designs are not perforated, nor do they include geometrical shapes; cortinas (meaning “curtains”), a term used to refer to the assemblage of various paper pieces glued to a cord; the incorporation of text; or the usage of passe-partout elements—all of which are considered essential to papel picado. The design components for papel picado are constituted by two parts: the frame and the central scene. Words and phrases, usually placed along the top of the design, are accompanied by geometrical shapes— bent lines, arches, rhombuses, squares, triangles, and even simulated curtains. All of these constitute the frame or passe-partout, drawing the observer’s attention to the central scene. The visual tropes featured in amate scenes are usually more elaborate than those of papel picado, as the former rely heavily on the use of colors, juxtaposition on the visual planes of perception, and depiction of various scenes at the same time. By contrast, papel picado relies less on the use of colors than on the precision of its orifices, a basic element that gives rise to its name. Weight also plays an important role in its potential use during festivities, as papel de china is essentially tissue paper. This allows papel picado to hang gently in the breeze and to produce

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| Papel Picado its characteristic buzz that announces the fiesta’s beginning. The absence of paper—rendered by producing geometrically designed holes in the sheet—is what allows it to fly, to call people’s attention, and to let light pass through. That is why some communities have named it papel volador (flying paper). Papel picado prices are also more reasonable because large quantities can be cut simultaneously, in contrast to amate pieces that must be individually processed. Indeed, the cutting process is one of the most remarkable elements in the production of papel picado. Sharp scissors, various-size chisels, laminated guides, and previously determined die cuts are all central tools used by artisans to cut out the intricate designs that are the essence of papel picado. Nevertheless, the cutting process has generated criticism. Today most papel picado artists use laminated guides that are pressed against the die cuts, thus allowing for a large number— usually more than 30—to be cut all at once. Still, it would be a mistake to regard this as a mass production, since the guides and die cuts are uniquely designed and reflect a high degree of craftsmanship. Moreover, the final product reveals individual adaptation and creativity. Colorfulness is one of its most appealing features of papel picado, and color selection therefore is also an important part in the crafting process. There are as many color scheme combinations as the artistic imagination and resources allow. Each piece of papel de china comes as a single-color sheet, but once it is glued to cords or dowels the fiesta of colors begins. Nevertheless, there are some celebrations that require specific colors. For instance, purple has a central presence during Holy Week and is usually combined with or replaced by fuchsia. Festivities for the Virgin of Guadalupe feature white and blue, the traditional colors of the Virgin according to the Catholic Church. For national holidays, the colors of the flag— green, white, and red—are most often present. Depending on the occasion and a particular artisan’s expertise, scenes featured in papel picado are exceptionally varied and often function simultaneously at multiple levels. Central scenes might include multiple objects such as hearts, crosses, pots, flowers, pumpkins, tortillas, food baskets, pan dulce (sweet bread), skeletons, skulls, bells, canyons, flags, hats, musical instruments, and many others. Often these scenes can become quite complex, with characters interacting across planes. For example, skeletons might be shown fighting roosters. Important historical and religious characters are also recurrent, such as the Virgin of Guadalupe; visages of Jesus and angels; Mexican War of Independence leaders such as Father Miguel Hidalgo and Ignacio Allende; Mexican revolutionary heroes such as Francisco Villa, Emiliano Zapata, and Francisco I. Madero; and semihistorical figures such as china poblanas. Animals are also often depicted and might include birds such as the eagle and the serpent (a nationalist motif featured on the Mexican flag’s coat of arms), doves (referencing peace or, when coupled, marriage), humming birds, roosters, donkeys, and horses. Quite readily, one can identify a common linkage between papel picado’s intricate designs and embroidery. Latticework was a widely known practice in Europe as well as within pre-Hispanic culture, where local variations can be seen in the designs of huipil and quechquemitls (indigenous shawls). Spain and other

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countries such as Switzerland, Holland, and the Netherlands all developed important embroidery industries, and regardless of their mass production, embroidery patterns managed to preserve an artisanal style, such as in the production of doilies. Cotton textile samples from the colonial period include clothing, blankets, and mats. However, if we consider only the design patterns incorporated into papel picado, more similarities can be found with European produced doilies and other embroidery pieces. The presence of papel picado has been evident since colonial times. Drawings from this period depict triumphal arches commonly decorated various ephemeral materials, and papel picado patterns can clearly be discerned. During the 19th century, European-born painters such as Carl Nebel, Daniel Thomas Egerton, and Claudio Linatti captured the many popular celebrations and typical scenes of Mexico, such as those featuring female vendors selling aguas frescas (fruit-based drinks) and decorating their stands. Pulquerias (were the indigenous alcoholic drink pulque was sold) were usually decorated with papel picado as well, and this is a recurrent element featured in paintings and photographs of such establishments during this period. Other 19th-century artists such as Casimiro Castro depicted festivities where papel picado was commonly used. At the turn of the century, the famous graphic printer José Guadalupe Posada introduced papel picado into his engraved scenes. Later, 20th-century painters such as María Izquierdo and Chucho Reyes, among many others, depicted papel picado in their works as well. Some artisans follow seasonal demands and alternate the production of papel picado with items such as dolls, toys, masks, judas (cardboard grotesque figures burned during the Holy Week), piñatas, and alfeñiques (sugar designs used during the Day of the Dead). Nevertheless, demand for papel picado and for particular

Papel Picado and Popular Art after the Mexican Revolution: Chucho Reyes and María Izquierdo Following the Mexican Revolution, artists such as Jesús “Chucho” Reyes (1880–1977) and María Izquierdo (1902–1955) celebrated the popular art form of papel picado in distinctive ways. Reyes incorporated papel de china (tissue paper) into his artistic creations—notably Virgin of Zapopan (ca. 1920), Flowery Death (ca. 1940), and Rooster Over Blue Background (ca. 1950)—which were themselves often inspired by papel picado designs. Izquierdo, who was one of the most influential Mexican female artists, used vibrant, dramatic color schemas to depict everyday objects and motifs on her canvases and with papel picado, such as Grown Wheat (1940), Lent’s Friday (1944–1945), Death’s Altar (1943), and Dolores’ Altar (1943, 1946). Through the works of Reyes and Izquierdo, papel picado was thus incorporated as a central aspect of the quotidian objects that these artists viewed as embodying the essence of Mexico, lo mexicano. In this way, papel picado, along with other forms of popular culture, underwent a process of positive reevaluation that led to a greater appreciation and even romanticization after the revolution.

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| Papel Picado design patterns—often a reflection of a particular artisan’s skills—has made specialization possible. Following a request made by local artisans, in 1998 the town of San Salvador Huixcolota, Puebla, was awarded state recognition for being an authentic cradle of papel picado. Indeed, over the past several decades the Mexican government has created various programs designed to protect and spread the production of papel picado. Federal and state governments have organized contests, and oftentimes the winning pieces are subsequently hung from governmental offices or placed in museum collections. Today there are two ways in which papel picado is traditionally used. One is that it is glued to a wooden dowel called a mecate. The second is that it is used simply as a garland, a cord to be hung across walls and roofs. This latter use is predominant for Day of the Dead altars and for posadas as well as in the more general usage across indoor patios and streets. The use of the mecate appears in the form of wooden stick banners shaken by people witnessing a street parade. Mecatesupported papel picado can also be found on the tables of the Viernes de Dolores (Friday of Sorrows) altars, celebrated on the sixth Friday of Lent preceding Palm Sunday. In more recent times, the papel de china traditionally used for papel picado has been substituted by plastic due to the latter’s durability and possibilities of reuse. However, some craftsmen refuse plastic because it goes against tradition, and tissue paper is still widely used. There are many museums of popular culture that serve as foundations to promote artisan craftsmanship, including papel picado. The most important of these is no doubt the Museo Nacional de Culturas Populares, located in Coyoacán in the southern part of Mexico City. Also in Mexico City is the Museo de Arte Popular. But every state has its own regional museums that display crafts, organize contests, and sell locally made works in their gift shops. There are also several federal and state bureaus that promote and give economical resources for craftsmen, including the Dirección de Culturas Populares e Indígenas (Bureau of Popular and Indigenous Cultures), the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History), and the Fondo Nacional Para el Fomento de Artesanías (National Fund for the Crafts Development), are the most important. María Concepción Márquez Sandoval See Also: Bell of Dolores; China Poblana; Día de los Muertos; National Flag; Pan Dulce; Piñata; Posada, José Guadalupe; Pulque; Virgin of Guadalupe; Zapata, Emiliano

Further Reading García, César. “El Papel Picado Mexicano.” Revista Confluencia 6(2) (Spring 1991): 177. Gibson, Christopher. “Papel Picado: Three Artists Help Revive Hispanic Ephemeral Arts.” Tradición Revista 7(3) (2002): 24–28. Hunter, Dard. Papermaking: The History and Technology of an Ancient Craft. New York: Dover, 1978.

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Lenz, Hans. Historia del papel en Mexico y cosas relacionadas, 1525–1950. Mexico City: Miguel Angel Porrúa, 2001. Sanchez de Bonfil, María Cristina. El papel del papel en la Nueva España, 1740–1812. Mexico City: Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, 1993. Trenchard, Kathleen. Mexican Papercutting: Simple Techniques for Creating Colorful Cut Paper Projects. Asheville, NC: Lark Books, 1998.

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