From 1838 to Today: The Story Behind Imprecxo
A tradition of nearly 200 years in Mexican graphic arts
Because manufacturing isn't just producing. It's leaving a mark.
Chapter I — El Esfuerzo: Where It All Began
In 1838, in the city of Aguascalientes, Mexico, Don José María Chávez Alonso founded a small printing press called 'El Esfuerzo' (The Effort). It was more than a business — it was an act of faith in the power of the printed word to transform society.
Chávez Alonso was a man of many vocations: printer, politician, patriot. In 1847, he was elected governor of Aguascalientes, yet he never abandoned his printing press. For him, printing was as noble a calling as governing — both were about serving the people.
"Chávez Alonso represented the ideal of the 19th-century Mexican intellectual: a man who believed that the press was as powerful as the sword in building a nation."
In 1864, during the French Intervention, Chávez Alonso was captured and executed by imperial troops. He died a patriot — but his printing legacy would outlive him by nearly two centuries.
Chapter II — The Posada Connection
The printing press of El Esfuerzo trained a generation of printers in Aguascalientes. Among them was Trinidad Pedroza, who would later become the mentor of José Guadalupe Posada — the legendary artist who created La Catrina, Mexico's most iconic image of death and one of the country's most recognized artistic symbols worldwide.
"The line from Chávez's press to Posada's engravings to La Catrina represents a direct chain of Mexican graphic tradition — one that Imprecxo continues today."
Chapter III — Editorial Cvltvra: The Legacy Evolves
In 1916, the grandsons of Don José María Chávez Alonso — the Loera y Chávez brothers — founded Editorial Cvltvra in Mexico City. The name itself was a statement: culture with a capital C, spelled in the Latin way to honor the classical roots of knowledge.
Cvltvra published over 100 titles between 1916 and 1923, making quality literature accessible to the Mexican public. They were pioneers in affordable, well-designed books — democratizing reading in a country emerging from revolution.
"Cvltvra was more than a publisher. It was a movement that believed in the transformative power of books to build a modern Mexico after the Revolution."
Chapter IV — From Publishing to Creative Manufacturing
Through the 20th century, the family tradition continued evolving. From traditional typography to offset printing, from offset to digital, from publishing to a full spectrum of creative manufacturing. Each generation preserved the core commitment: obsessive quality, artisan care, and the belief that every printed or manufactured piece should be extraordinary.
Today, Imprecxo represents the modern chapter of this 188-year story. With factories in the heart of Mexico City, 16 specialized service lines, laser cutting and engraving technology, premium materials, and the operational muscle to manufacture from a single piece to millions of units.
Timeline: 188 Years of Tradition
The first printing press in the Americas is established in Mexico City — New Spain becomes the continent's publishing center.
Don José María Chávez Alonso founds the 'El Esfuerzo' printing press in Aguascalientes. What started as a typographic workshop would become the beginning of a tradition lasting nearly 200 years.
Chávez Alonso is elected governor of Aguascalientes. He combined politics with his passion for graphic arts and the dissemination of knowledge.
Chávez Alonso is executed by French troops during the Intervention. His legacy as a printer, governor, and patriot endures in Mexican history.
Chávez's workshop trains Trinidad Pedroza, who would later train José Guadalupe Posada — creator of La Catrina and one of Mexico's most important graphic artists.
The Loera y Chávez brothers — grandsons of Don José María — found Editorial Cvltvra in Mexico City, revolutionizing Mexican graphic arts and publishing.
Cvltvra publishes over 100 accessible titles, democratizing literature in Mexico. It becomes a benchmark for quality publishing.
The family tradition continues through generations, evolving from typography to creative manufacturing, adopting new techniques without losing the artisan essence.
Imprecxo is the modern manifestation of nearly 200 years of tradition in Mexican graphic arts. Factories in the heart of Mexico City, 16 service lines, industrial capacity, and the same artisan commitment.
Some projects aren't just work — they're part of the country's history. And Imprecxo has been part of that history for 188 years.
Sources & References
• ELEM (Enciclopedia de la Literatura en México) — Editorial Cvltvra
• Scielo México — Historia de las artes gráficas en Aguascalientes
• Biblioteca Virtual Cervantes — La imprenta en la Nueva España
• AMABPAC — Historia de la impresión en México
• Archivo General de la Nación — Documentos sobre José María Chávez Alonso
• La Jornada — Centenario de Cvltvra (2016)