What Is the Art Style Used on Loteria Cards
Photograph showing how Loteria was created past Clemente Jacques, known as the Mexican lottery, became popular culture around 1945-1950. Casasola Archive. Collection: © 172058SC.INAH.FN.
by Teresa Villegas
History of La Lotería
You may exist surprised to know that the quintessential Mexican game called La Lotería has its origins in Europe and came to Mexico by way of Spain.
Vintage tabla painted on can. (source unknown)
The traditional Loteria originated in Italy, moved to Spain, and finally came to United mexican states in 1769. Initially played past the colonial Mexican aristocracy, it eventually was embraced by all social classes.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Mexican farms and towns were few and far between. Traveling Ferias (fairs) would set up in these ranchlands and small towns on the weekends, and many people would get out to them especially to play Loteria.
American Bingo Board and Mexican Loteria Tabla
The game is very similar to American Bingo, with some differences. In Bingo, a number with an associated letter is randomly chosen from a rotating drum, while in Loteria, with a colorfully illustrated paradigm is fatigued from a special deck of 54 cards. The modern versions of these cards likewise contain the name of the paradigm at the bottom and an associated number at the meridian. In both games, each player has a different game board/tabla. In Bingo, the game board has random numbers listed nether their associated letters, while in Loteria, the tabla has a random design of images matching those plant on the cards.
Tabla de Loteria, watercolor on paper United mexican states c.1920 Drove of San Antonio Museum of Art
Many of the older tablas do not have words or numbers, since the originally was found in prose. These tablas were made either out of tin or newspaper that had been painted by popular artists, some of whom specialized in this art form.
Lotería is often referred to as "Mexican Bingo." For anyone who has had the opportunity to play Lotería, will find similarities in playing American Bingo. Withal, players will apace realize, how much more than visually and intellectually engaging and fun information technology is to play Lotería than the American Bingo game. In American Bingo, an journalist calls out the selected letters and numbers, such every bit "B-4" and the players mark their game boards accordingly.
In Lotería, the announcer gives an improvised short poem or familiar phrase alluding to the paradigm on the card (eastward.1000. "The coat for the poor" for the image of the sun, or "The one who dies by the mouth" for the image of the fish). Each role player uses a chip -oft a kernel of corn or a bean-to mark the respective spot on his or her tabla. In either game, the commencement player to appropriately make full the game board or tabla in a predefined pattern will shout either "Bingo!"or "Lotería!" to win the game and receive the prize.
Since poetic license is afforded to the announcer of Lotería, the success and popularity of the journalist depend on his cleverness and way.
El Sol and El Pescado Loteria Cards. Images ©unknown (but I suspect they belong to Don Clemente Gallo)
The announcer'due south approach will often depend on the social context in which the game is beingness played. At a church building bazaar, for example, he might use a more than tame humor, while for a game played in an adult setting he might utilize innuendos that are more than risqué and cheeky. Satire and references to contemporary events and politics are often a role of the word play involved; in fact, the linking of images to social commentary has existed since the inception of the game.
Loteria has been played as a game of chance, every bit a pastime, and for educational purposes. Because the Loteria cards include the name of the pictured character, they are used to teach reading, writing, history, and social values. Many bilingual teachers use the game as a instruction tool in the United States.
I of the more interesting historical versions was an educational , liturgical Loteria that appeared in the 1930'south. The images employed were objects and concepts found with the Catholic Church. This combination of the irreverence and banality of the game coupled with the solemnity of sacred symbols had some Catholics concerned. While the marriage of church and gambling in the class of Bingo in the U.s.a. is common, the initial endeavor of the church-sanctioned liturgical loteria was more than educational –to allow the parishioners to differentiate between a tunic and a maniple, for example.
Eccleastic Loteria image utilise by permission from individual Collection of Carlos Monsavais
The most recognized version of Loteria is the "Don Clemente Gallo" rendition introduced into Mexico in 1887 by the French businessman, Don Clemente Jacques.
He purchased a manufacturing plant in United mexican states to produce many items, including packaged food products, corks and bottles, and ammunition. In their press press segmentation they produced labels for the packaged foods, advertisements, invitations, party favors, calendars and the game La Loteria.
It was told to me by Gallo that when they packaged the canned food for the military rations they included a little game of Loteria for the soldiers to play to pass the time. When the soldiers would bring home the game to their families it was a big hit and became hugely pop with the full general public thus creating a large demand and embraced fully within the Mexican culture.
The owners today of of Don Clemente Gallo Pasatiempos own the registered trademark of the original images, including the most famous and better known images that have existed.
As Mexican civilisation spread across the border, so did the demand for the game inside the United States. The original Don Clemente Gallo Loteria game can be purchased today non only in United mexican states but also in the United States, and online all over the internet. Many collectors take been purchasing and sharing them online, perpetuating the love of Loteria and the cultural significance and historical value of this game.
2001 Both Loteria game sets published and produced by Don Clemente Gallo. The Nuevo Loteria game ready are images by American artist Teresa Villegas.
Artists accept been inspired past the images of Lotería since its inception and is not a unique occurrence. I was 1 of many artists who were inspired by the imagery of the game, the enthusiasm of the players and by the announcers who were gifted poets and wordsmiths.
While living in United mexican states (2000) information technology was in the enquiry, for my installation paintings that I get-go interviewed Gallo. Gallo was very generous with giving their time, historical facts and information for the development of this work. While meeting with Gallo, they had asked to encounter my paintings and and so I had shown them a few sample paintings and the sketches for the remaining. They had liked what they saw and asked if they could use my images for publishing and distributing a new version of their game. They were excited at the thought of "sprucing up" the 100-twelvemonth-old game, and I was excited too and t hus the "Nuevo Versión" Lotería game was built-in.
Gallo produced and distributed it throughout United mexican states and the U.s. from 2001-2008. During the initial procedure of publishing this nuevo Loteria game, Gallo had offered me to have a higher end printing of the game than the original game. Notwithstanding, I wanted to keep with the historical intent when Lotería first came to Mexico for the purpose of soldiers' passing the time, and to keep it affordable and available "for the masses." Therefore the printing quality and the retail prices remained the aforementioned as the original lotería game. The royalties I received from Gallo, I donated dorsum to Mexico to FAI Save the Children Foundation, United mexican states.
In 2008, equally did many businesses, Gallo cut back the product of many of their products because of the global economic recession, thus ending the production and distribution of el "Nuevo Verisión de Lotería." Copyright for these Nuevo Loteria images now remain with me as my contract with Gallo has expired. For any of yous who take purchased this version, you now have a "collectors detail" and I hope you play it until it falls apart like my family unit'due south has. And considering I truly believe that "the experience is meliorate than the artifact.".
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Source: https://teresavillegas.com/history-of-la-loteria/
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