Mexico: The Land of Charm

Book excerpt: A sumptuous clothbound compendium of modern Mexican ephemera from postage stamps to tourist guides This volume gathers a surprising and engaging sampling of more than 500 pieces of printed matter: material that circulated between the 1910s and the 1960s, with print runs of anywhere from a thousand to tens of thousands of copies. These ephemeral, utilitarian publications--many created by well-known artists and designers--flooded streets, newspaper stands, bookshops and homes, with the common aim of disseminating an idealized image of what is considered typically Mexican. Drawn from private collections and the holdings of museums, with no claim to completeness, the material in Mexico: The Land of Charmranges in size from stamps to posters, and includes material such as books, illustrated magazines, photography magazines, songbooks and musical scores, almanacs and calendars, tourist guides and maps. The result is impressive, in terms of both individual examples and the collection as a whole: these images are now a part of Mexican history. Artists and designers include: José Espert Arcos, Ernesto García Cabral, Jean Charlot, Francisco Díaz de León, Carlos Neve, Mariano Martínez, Carlos Mérida, Diego Rivera, Saturino Herrán, Emily Edwards and Zita Canessi.