Puerta Visagara, Gate of Madrid, Toledo 1904

Editor: Joseph Pennell's etching, "Puerta Visagara, Gate of Madrid, Toledo," created in 1904, captures the monumental architecture with delicate lines. I’m immediately struck by the way the print highlights both the grandeur and the everyday life unfolding at the base of the gate. How would you interpret the role of a piece like this in the public's perception of Madrid at the turn of the century? Curator: That's a perceptive observation. This etching offers more than just a pretty picture; it presents a particular image of Spain, and Madrid, for a growing tourist market. Consider the rise of mass media and print culture around 1900. Prints like these weren't just art objects; they were portable representations, shaping how people understood and imagined different cities. Editor: So, it’s almost like propaganda for tourism? Curator: Not necessarily explicit propaganda, but certainly a curated view. Pennell chooses a specific architectural monument, emphasizes its majesty, and then populates the scene with figures that suggest a bustling, accessible city. Consider, who was his intended audience? Primarily, this was a European, perhaps an American, middle-class consumer eager for travel experiences. The accessibility is suggested in its urban life rather than being exoticized as the "other." Editor: That makes me rethink how I view it. I initially saw it as a simple landscape, but knowing it's contributing to the city's branding changes the work altogether. Are there other historical events that affected its perception at the time? Curator: Absolutely. This was also a period of increasing urbanization and national identity formation across Europe. Cities like Madrid were vying for cultural and economic relevance on a global stage. A print like this participates in that competition. The way he presents this historical architecture helps define what Madrid means, not just to its inhabitants, but to the world. Editor: I see now. I’m going to keep that in mind when considering city views as possibly marketing pieces for political forces. Thanks for changing how I look at Pennell’s print! Curator: My pleasure! It's about seeing beyond the immediate beauty and asking, "Who made this, and for whom?"