Broadside with 48 scenes telling the 'impartial' story of the civil war in Spain (Part 3) 1855 - 1865

Antonio Bosch created this broadside with 48 scenes depicting the Spanish Civil War using engraving. The claim that it presents an “impartial” history is immediately undermined by the context in which it was produced, with each scene a snapshot of a conflict that deeply divided Spanish society. Looking at the image, it's important to consider the politics of its imagery. Despite the claim of impartiality, the selection and presentation of events would inevitably reflect a particular perspective, shaped by the artist's own allegiances and the prevailing social and political climate. The Civil War itself was a clash of ideologies, and any attempt to depict it would necessarily be fraught with bias. To truly understand this broadside, we need to dig into the archives, to explore the cultural and institutional forces that shaped its creation. What was the role of art in shaping public opinion during this tumultuous period? How did censorship and propaganda influence artistic production? Only by exploring these questions can we begin to unravel the complex meanings embedded within this seemingly simple image.