The wake, Oil painting at Museo Nacional de Arte, Mexico City, Mexico.
The work depicts impoverished rural villagers gathered inside a dilapidated Baroque chapel during a funeral ceremony, with candlelight creating dramatic shadows across the mourners' grief-stricken faces.
Created by José María Jara in 1889, this painting earned a bronze medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition, marking a significant shift in Mexican art toward social realism and commentary on societal issues.
The artwork represents Mexican funeral traditions and community mourning practices, emphasizing collective grief and the importance of death rituals within marginalized rural communities of the late 19th century.
Measuring 1345 by 1780 millimeters and painted with oil on canvas, the work is housed at the Museo Nacional de Arte in Mexico City where visitors can view it during regular museum hours.
This painting broke away from romanticized depictions of Mexican life by deliberately portraying poverty and social neglect, establishing Jara as a pioneering voice in Mexican protest art.
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