La Catrina

La catrina is a pervasive figure in Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations. She has a husband, el catrin, who is much less popular. According to different traditions, they are Mr. and Mrs. Death, or just representations of rich people, who, like the rest of us, end up dead in the end despite the fancy clothes. Because the image of la catrina was popularized by Posada prints from the late 19th century, she typically is depicted in period costume: a large hat with ostrich plumes and flowers, a long fitted dress with a flounce on the bottom (to show off her slender skeleton figure, no doubt), and a feather boa.

Customizing catrina

Everybody has their own take on la catrina. Leonardo Linares, a famous papier-mâché artist, created a catrina with a feathered snake around her neck, which, I assume, is a reference to Quetzalcoatl, the head honcho of the Aztec pantheon, who is portrayed as a feathered serpent. Since I can't resist a visual pun, I decided to drape my catrina with a boa constrictor. The bright green of the snake contrasts nicely with the Diazinon Purple of her dress. Just for fun, her dress is see-through so you get an X-ray view of her bones.