1920s Mexico Photo Archive

Photo archive of 1920s Mexico. Eight silver gelatin original press photographs, all black and white . 1920-26. Measures between 6" x 8" to 8" x 10.5". Photos have captions on verso and some have handwritten notes from the press. The two earliest photos start this archive off on a joyous note, showing a gleeful group of teenagers surrounding the explosive confetti of candy from a battered pinata. A 1924 photo shows the "Mexico's prettiest", a woman named "-orita Jessamine Valdez", wearing a "typical Indian costume from the State of Puebla." Two photos depict pilgrimages to the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City in 1926, where "one hundred thousand joined (truncated) in a soemn pilgrimage to the shrine of the nation's patron Saint. Many miracles have been performed at this shrine...Society women, with bare feet bleeding, walked beside the women from the lower strata." Another photo shows a procession of religious Mexicans in sombreros and headscarves. In a 1924 photo, we see the snow-capped volcanic mountains flanking Cuernavaca, "Sleeping White Lady" and "Popocatepetl", in the southern Mexican state of Morelos. These two dormant volcanos "have awakened", heavy rumblings and smoke being emitted from the volcano mouths." Finally, the last photo is not taken in Mexico, but in nearby Los Angeles, showing "Alleged Mexican Revolutionists... captured by American officers in Lower California, awaiting transportation for return to San Diego..." This press caption on verso is unfortunately cut off, but is related to post-Revolutionary coup attempts and partisan battles during Mexico's turbulent 1920s. A broadly interesting archive that captures Mexican cultural, religious, and political life during the 1920s. In very good condition overall. (Inventory #: 20721)