Exchange: Danza de la Pluma

Exhibition research for Detroit Institute of Arts exhibition of prints, drawings, and photographs, tentatively scheduled for 2019.

Contact: Clare Rogan, Curator of Prints & Drawings, crogan@dia.org

49 Items in this Learning Collection

Danza de los Paragüeros

Centered in the page in this print are two figures in matching costume, one facing the viewer and one away. They are each dressed in a black suit with pink cumberbund and white socks and gloves. Each figure wears a cape with green interior; the back is white with vegetal and animal motifs in orange, pink, green, grey and black. On the left, the more-visible cape has a grey bird on one side and an orange horse on the other. As visible on the left figure, who faces away, there is a large black collar on the cape in the shape of a triangle, and off of the collar hangs a long pink piece of fabric. Both figures wear white hats—shaped like umbrellas—that have large plumage of black, orange and green coming from a pole off the top. Lastly, as seen in the right figure, they wear a pink mask with a mustached face.

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Danza de los Tlacololeros

Centered on the page, this print shows two figures. The one in the foreground is wearing a grey cloak, while the one in the back has a blue cloak. Both figures have one orange boot, and orange hats. Also both figures are wearing red masks with stylized mustached-faces. The front figure holds an orange whip, and the back figure holds a white whip.

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Danza de los Santiagos

Centered in the page on this print are two dark-skinned figures wearing pink-skinned masks. They are both dressed identically in white shirts and tights, with black boots, matching black knickers, and capes trimmed in gold. Each figure holds a small circular shield in one hand and a sword in the other—both in white. Both seem to be leaping in the air.

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Danza de los Chinelos

In this print, two figures are centered on the page. They both wear a red mask with a pronounced black beard and mustache. The figure on the right is in an orange-yellow gown with blue detail on the white lace trim and the figure on the left a blue gown, with orange-yellow details. Their gloves and shoes are both black. Both also wear white large hats that are bowl-shaped with white, blue, and yellow-orange lace motifs. The figure on the left carries a thin red flag on a white pole.

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Danza de la Pluma

Centered on the page in this print are two figures, facing opposite directions. They are both wearing similar garments in different colors: pants, short-sleeved shirts, and capes. The figure on the right has orange pants with blue and red stripes, red shoes, orange shirt with white trim and a blue cape with red trim. On the left, the figure wears white pants with red and blue stripes, orange shoes, a small red and white apron, a orange shirt with a black cape trimmed in white and blue. Both hold tulip-shaped objects in one hand that are black, trimmed in blue. Each wear an elaborate headdress: white at the base with a large fan coming from it with geometric shapes on the interior. The figure on the left has a blue fan on his headdress with three orange circles and one star, outlined in blue, and one black rectangle at the front of the headdress. On the right, the figure's headdress is red on a white base with three ciricles, black at the center, then red and then orange around it. Each headdress fan seems to

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Danza de los Moros

Centered on the page in this print are two figures in identical dress. They have white undergarments with maroon tunics and kilts that are trimmed in blue, and capes, black on the interior, lined in orange, and a orange and blue motif on the back, as visible on the left figure. The tunics have white fish-shaped attachments at the bottom hem and on each, at the chest, is a symetrical floral motif. Their boots are back with maroon and orange detailing, and have a white spur on one of the two boots. Both figures' faces are covered and they wear tiered, cone-shaped hats. Each figure holds a unique item, on the right a white ball and on the left a pole with blue, orange and maroon streamers coming from a blue disk.

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Title Page to 'Mexican People'

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Danza de la media luna

Centered on the page, this print shows two figures dressed in long robes. One figure wears a blue robe with maroon circles and the other is the opposite. Each faceless figure, carries a knife in one hand. On their heads are headdresses with a black cap and large white half-moon shape attached. The figures look like they are in motion.

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Danza de las Malinches

Centered on the page, this print shows two figures. They both wear white pants trimmed in red and purple and a red shirt with white spots. Both figures have purple suspenders and a black hat with four white spots around the brim. Each figure holds a round black object with black, red and purple flares in one hand and a white pole with black, red, white and purple flares in the other.

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Danza de los Pascolas y el Venado

Centered on the page in this print are two figures. Both have oranged-tan skin, revealed by their bare chests, arms and legs. At their ankles, there are white bands with gold circles. On the left, the figure wears blue shorts with a wide white waistband. He faces away, on his head there is a headdress in the shape of a horned-deer that faces to the left, attached by a white cloth. The figure holds two yellow disks. On the right, the man wears slightly different draping knickers with a wide-white waist band that has small orange toggles hanging off the front and a white flap off the back. He wears a blue mask with a white, abstracted face painted on. The mask has gold fabric attached at the top and bottom to represent hair and a beard. This right figure holds a small blue box with white design.

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Danza de los Quetzales

Centered on the page of this print are two figures. They are dressed in white shirts, with red capes over their left sholders and matching pants, both trimmed in blue. Both figures are also wearing red cone-shaped headdresses that have a large circular decoration attached with red and blue concentric circles. Both figures are faceless and have black hair. The figures hold black round objects. They are depicted in movement.

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Calavera de la Catrina

This pring shows the shoulders and skull of a skeleton wearing a wide brimmed hat adorned with plumes and decorative objects.

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Workman

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Hat Makers

In this line drawing, three figures are seated on the ground, in a diagonal row, making hats out of grasses. The first has a large bundle of raw materials, the second appears to be weaving them, and the third, a woman, is holding a nearly finished hat. Behind them is a large pile of hats.

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Pulqueria

A crowd of figures dances and drinks outside of an establishment with the words "Echate La Otra" across the top of the entrance. Figures outside the restaurant are wearing patterned tunics, tall socks and shoes, and tall conical hats with plumes of feathers. The figures inside the establishment are wearing sombreros.

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Calaveras Estranguladoras

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Portrait of Spratling

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Pottery Maker, from 'Mexican People'

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Henequen Plant, from 'Mexican People'

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Silver Mine Worker, from 'Mexican People'

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Grinding Maize, from 'Mexican People'

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Lumber Workers, from 'Mexican People'

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Grinding Sugar Cane, from 'Mexican People'

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The Market, from 'Mexican People'

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Peasants of Tlahuac, from 'Mexican People'

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Ritual of the Huichol Indian Tribe, from 'Mexican People'

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Lime Kilns, from 'Mexican People'

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Brick-Makers, from 'Mexican People'

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Crossing at Chalma

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The Visit

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How Small the World Is

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Woman Combing Her Hair

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Window to the Choir

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Day of All Dead

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Tres Ollas de Oaxaca

A photograph of an arrangement of three Oaxacan pots.

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Margarita de Bonampak, from "Manuel Alvarez Bravo"

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Snarling Dog

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Man at a Tree

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Coyote

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Untitled(Praying Women)

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Copyright

Danza de la Pluma

Accession Number
1944.7

Title
Danza de la Pluma

Artist(s)
Carlos Mérida

Artist Nationality
Guatemalan

Object Creation Date
circa 1937-1939

Medium & Support
lithograph on paper

Dimensions
16 7/8 in x 12 1/2 in (42.86 cm x 31.75 cm)

Credit Line
Museum Purchase

Subject matter
This is one of a series of ten prints that depict the traditional dances of México. Mérida was the co-founder of the dance school for the Secretariat of Education (Escuela de la Danza de la Secretaría de Educación Pública), which worked to preserve the native dances of the region. In addition to this set, at this time, he produced a number of series that cataloged the popular arts and industries of Mexico and his native Guatemala.

This print depicts the Danza de la Pluma, which is also sometimes called the "Dance of Conquest." It is practiced in the Oaxaca state in Southern Mexico. The dance has local Aztec and Zapotec origins and was created to transmit knowledge about the world. As well as being related to cosmology, this dance relates to the process of Spanish conquest in that it signifies the passage of time before and after the landing of the conquistadors. In this dance, there are two kinds of dancers: one representing the Spanish with Hernán Cortés as their leader, and the other known as "Mexica" lead by Moctexuma. The events that led to the conquring of the Mexica people by the Spanish is played out in the dance. It is important to note that this dance can last up to three days, with thirty-minute breaks between songs, and the songs integrate music, chanting and spoken word.

Physical Description
Centered on the page in this print are two figures, facing opposite directions. They are both wearing similar garments in different colors: pants, short-sleeved shirts, and capes. The figure on the right has orange pants with blue and red stripes, red shoes, orange shirt with white trim and a blue cape with red trim. On the left, the figure wears white pants with red and blue stripes, orange shoes, a small red and white apron, a orange shirt with a black cape trimmed in white and blue. Both hold tulip-shaped objects in one hand that are black, trimmed in blue. Each wear an elaborate headdress: white at the base with a large fan coming from it with geometric shapes on the interior. The figure on the left has a blue fan on his headdress with three orange circles and one star, outlined in blue, and one black rectangle at the front of the headdress. On the right, the figure's headdress is red on a white base with three ciricles, black at the center, then red and then orange around it. Each headdress fan seems to have a ruffled edge. Both figures appear to be dancing.

Primary Object Classification
Print

Collection Area
Modern and Contemporary

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
Aztec (culture or style)
Colonial Spanish American
Mexico
dancers
folk dances
headdresses
modern and contemporary art