Plate 1: four street vendors from Madrid selling blueberries, onions, tea, and baskets, from 'Los Gritos de Madrid' (The Cries of Madrid) 1809 - 1817

Miguel Gamborino created this print, "Plate 1: four street vendors from Madrid," using etching with hand coloring. Each vendor is neatly arranged in a grid-like format, which imposes a structured order on the otherwise chaotic street life it depicts. The figures are rendered with delicate lines and a restrained color palette, which emphasizes form over expressive emotion. Each vendor stands on a small square, which acts as a miniature stage, isolating them within the larger composition. This technique brings attention to the individual's role within the urban economy. Gamborino’s careful arrangement and formal rendering invite us to consider the broader semiotic and economic structures at play in Madrid. The print doesn't just show people; it presents them as signs within a social system.