Broadsheet with portrait of Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla 1895 - 1905

Curator: Looking at this portrait, I’m immediately struck by a sense of somber determination. The stark line work and intense gaze create a feeling of quiet strength. Editor: Indeed. What you are seeing is a broadsheet, a printed poster, bearing a portrait of Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. Although the artist is unknown, we believe it was made sometime between 1895 and 1905. These prints, which combine image and text, were a popular medium for spreading political messages at the time. Curator: The oval frame is such a familiar and repeated element; so, who exactly was he, and why the call for honor and glory? Editor: Miguel Hidalgo was a Catholic priest who is best known as a leader of the Mexican War of Independence. He issued the “Grito de Dolores” in 1810, a call to arms that ignited the revolution. His legacy cemented his role as the "Father of the Nation," Curator: It's incredible how the image has the effect of instantly conveying respect and gravity to anyone familiar with that history. I find the line work so precise and detailed, really enhancing the solemnity. And framing it in an oval feels like placing him on a pedestal. It’s such careful control of image. Editor: Absolutely. You have to consider that the proliferation of such images helped solidify the perception of Hidalgo in the public imagination, casting him in a heroic light, so crucial for uniting revolutionary factions. Think of the function and political leverage achieved through this very kind of popular media. Curator: Seeing it this way, I can see it less as a neutral, artistic creation and more as an artifact created with very real social and political ambitions. This print shows how the past continues to shape our present understanding of national heroes. Editor: And for me, I walk away considering how deeply intertwined symbols and historical figures are in shaping our shared cultural identity.