Broadside with 48 views of notable houses in Barcelona 1861

This broadside, made by José Noguera in Barcelona in 1861, presents us with forty-eight vignettes of the city's most notable buildings. It offers a fascinating insight into the values and priorities of the local bourgeoisie. This lithograph is more than just a collection of architectural views; it's a carefully constructed representation of civic pride. The selection of buildings –from churches to government offices and private residences – speaks volumes about the social and political landscape of Barcelona during a period of rapid urban expansion. The piece reflects the visual codes and cultural references of the time. To fully understand Noguera's broadside, historians turn to archival sources: city directories, architectural plans, and period newspapers, offering a glimpse into the forces that shaped not only the buildings themselves, but also the social fabric of Barcelona. What does the prominence of certain buildings say about how power was distributed? What has been left out of the image? These are some of the questions that can be explored.