Free, Printable Coloring Pages
La Catrina Coloring Pages
La Catrina is the fanciest skeleton you'll ever meet. She always dresses in her very best, usually with a hat piled high with flowers, and she's become the face of Día de los Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead. You'll find cute little Catrinas here for preschoolers and detailed ones for grown-ups who love filling in tiny roses.
Jump to: Cute Catrinas | Who Is She? | Lace and Roses
Cute Little Catrinas
Day of the Dead skeletons aren't meant to be scary. They're usually grinning or dancing or dressed up for a party, because the holiday is about welcoming loved ones home for a visit rather than being sad. That cheerful spirit is why a tiny Catrina with big eyes and a rose fits right in.
Who Is La Catrina?
La Catrina started out as a joke. A little over a hundred years ago, a Mexican artist named José Guadalupe Posada drew a grinning skull in a fancy European hat to poke fun at people who pretended to be rich and fashionable. His point was simple. Wear all the feathers you like, but underneath we're all the same bones.
Years later the painter Diego Rivera gave her a whole body with a long elegant dress and a feather boa, and that's when the name La Catrina really caught on. A catrín is a dapper, well-dressed gentleman, so her name means something like “the fancy lady.” She's gone from a joke to a much-loved symbol, and many people see her grace and poise as a sign of strength too.
Catrinas in Lace and Roses
Flowers are a huge part of the Day of the Dead. Families lay paths of marigold petals up to their ofrendas, the home altars where they set out photos and favourite foods, because the bright color and strong scent are said to guide spirits home. It's no wonder Catrinas are so often dressed in flowers from head to toe.
