Death Mask of Pancho Villa

Pancho Villa (1878-1923) was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution, which lasted from 1910-1920. The revolution began with the overthrow of President Porfirio Diaz, who had been in power for 31 years. Over the next decade, elite figures vied for power, and agrarian insurrection ravaged the country. Villa became a central personality of the struggle, and he actively involved the media in his efforts. He was assassinated in 1923. The specific conditions surrounding his death remain elusive, though it was likely connected to the ongoing feuds between rival political leaders. The El Paso Museum of History has in its collections a plaster death mask of Villa, whose fame has endured into today.