Mexican Calendar Girls

The Golden Age of Mexican Calendar Art, 1930-1960

The California Heritage Museum presented "Mexican Calendar Girls, The Golden Age of Mexican Calendar Art, 1930 - 1960", an exhibition of more than thirty images from the vibrant popular culture of post-revolutionary Mexico.

In the brilliantly colored lithographic prints that form the exhibition, Mexican history, culture and aspirations are embodied by beautiful young women, often in traditional costume and sometimes scantily clad. The calendars were a favorite gift from businesses to their customers and were overprinted with company names, advertising slogans and contact details. Some calendars, known as exclusives, placed featured products in the picture.

The exhibition, which was drawn from the collection of Angela Villalba and curated by Michael Trotter, covers the main categories of calendar art:- classic calendars, national identity, celebrations and customs, macho women and cowgirls, sexy girls and exclusive calendars. Here we find images of Aztec maidens, revolutionistas, the Jarabe Tapatío, coy country sweethearts, fiestas, and the classic movie-influenced pinup. Featured artists include Jorge González Camarena, Eduardo Cataño, Armando Drechsler, Antonio Gómez R., Xavier Gómez and A.X. Peña.