Portugal. - 3,500,000 inwoners 1850

Curator: This is a print entitled "Portugal. - 3,500,000 Inwoners", dating back to 1850. It seems to be by Jan Schuitemaker. The piece combines a map, architectural renderings, and text. Editor: Immediately, the layout gives the impression of a well-ordered, albeit slightly crowded, geography lesson. I see architectural forms – idealized temples and cityscapes, rendered with fine detail. The sharp contrast in the engraving emphasizes permanence and history. Curator: It’s a fascinating glimpse into how nations presented themselves in print at that time. The graphic arts provided visual propaganda to cultivate a sense of national pride, wouldn’t you agree? It combines geographical awareness with monuments of power and cultural achievement. Editor: Indeed, note the engraving itself – this medium speaks to mass production and dissemination. Each line is deliberate, creating reproducible images on a substantial scale, and affordable to many. Consider also the social context – where and how would such a print have been consumed? Curator: These Neoclassical structures chosen for depiction also point to specific values of the time. Look at the Temple of Diana – it reflects back to the roots of classicism and ideas of an idealized past of Western Culture. What did that symbolism represent to people at the time this was created? Editor: Absolutely. Moreover, I find it interesting how the means of representation contribute to that idealization. Engraving allowed for a meticulous level of detail, almost a celebration of precise technical skill which is a core ideology that was embraced during industrialization in many ways. The choice of subject reinforces an intended feeling and impact. Curator: That precision mirrors an ambition towards systematized knowledge, aligning neatly with the emerging disciplines of geography and history in education. Each element works to impart a certain…grandeur to Portugal, don’t you think? Editor: Agreed. Considering the materiality and production behind it deepens the visual impact that continues today. It speaks to specific processes during 19th century print production, reaching many potential consumers. Curator: Yes. Looking at it now, the combination of text and image feels almost proto-infographic in some ways! This format creates layers that shape historical narrative through carefully selected symbols and representations of power. Editor: Definitely food for thought about image making and how prints impacted the consumption of information in Europe.