Fernando Castro Pacheco
Mexican, 1918 - 2013Trabajando con Ixtle (Working with Ixtle) from Mexican People portfolio, 1946
Not on view
Lithograph on paper
Dimensions15 × 17 9/16 in. (38.1 × 44.6 cm)
Image: 11 1/8 × 13 7/8 in. (28.3 × 35.2 cm)
Gift of Mr. Jack B. Pierson, 1987.31.3
Ixtle is a versatile plant that was valuable to the Mexican people. The durable fiber found in the leaves was used by indigenous peoples to make a variety of materials needed for everyday life, such as rope, thread, sandals, and even clothing. The remaining leaf fragments were used to make mats; the thorns were used as needles; the liquid had medicinal properties; and the fruit could be consumed. Most importantly ixtle was a crucial source of income for many indigenous peoples.
Depicting scenes of labor is a common theme in TGP prints. Fernando Castro Pacheco’s depiction of a campesina (peasant farmer) at work also highlights the exploitation of the people and the land, perhaps making it one of the most openly critical prints in the portfolio.
