Papel Picado

Paper cutting has been a folk art ever since paper was invented in 105 A.D. by Ts'ai Lun, an official in the court of Ho Ti, emperor of Cathay. The humble nature of its origins and the anonymity of its practice has caused paper cutting to be ignored as an art form, though artists, artisans, and collectors are becomingly increasingly aware of this valuable folk heritage. Worldwide traditions include German scherenschnitte, Polish wycinanki, Chinese hua yang, Japanese kirigami or mon-kiri, French silhouettes (named after Etienne de Silhouette, Controleur-General of France in 1757), and Matisse's painted paper cutouts.

In Mexico, the technique is called papel picado, which means "pierced paper." After the Spanish Conquest of Mexico, papel de China (tissue paper) was introduced and became the material of choice for Christian holiday decorations. Paperwork was apparently among the imports that poured in from the Orient via the annual Pacific treasure fleet that traveled between the Far East and Acapulco, laden with such exotic goods as silver, ivory, spices, and porcelain. Once the craft arrived in Mexico, it became the basis for many important and widespread folk art forms.

In Mexico, the art of paper-cutting goes back to pre-Columbian times, when bark paper (made by women from bark collected by men in the spring) was used as an offering to the gods and a tribute to the Aztec emperor, Moctezuma II. On certain holidays, it decorated the idols in temples and palaces and priests embodying the gods and the cosmos wore elaborate costumes of colored paper. Cutouts of dark paper were made to represent evil spirits, while white paper represented good spirits and were used by healers and witches in their rituals.

Colors schemes selected for papel picado are frequently linked with specific festivities. Sky blue or pink and white are commonly chosen for celebrations in honor of the Virgin Mary, yellow and white for patron saints. Vibrant pink, orange and purple are the key tones employed for ofrendas (offerings) associated with El Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. Shades of purple are also widely used at Easter. The colors of the Mexican flag—red, white and green—are set aside for venerating the nation's patroness, La Virgen de Guadalupe, as well as for commemorating Independence Day, September 16. Rainbow hues are appropriate for Christmas and non-religious festivities.

Cut from colored tissue paper (or plastic) to simulate lace, papel picado can be seen today hanging from Day of the Dead altars and decorating graves during November. Also during Christmas, papel picado decorates indoor and outdoor festivities in Mexico.

Papel picado is a form of "folk art," meaning that it is a popular traditional art form handed down from generation to generation. In Mexico template patterns are used to cut stacks of colored tissue paper at once. Traditionally, artists used hammers along with special punches in different shapes, but special knives and scissors, along with various folding techniques, have largely replaced the old tools and methods.

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