Grafic Sport

Ilustració Catalana

The first graphic magazine in Catalan was founded as a “periódich desenal, artistich, literari i científic” at the hands of the editor Carles Sampons, who wagered for the most outstanding writers and artists, the aim was the creation of a publication similar to the existing ones in Europe. In 1882 when Sampons died, Francesc Matheu took charge of the magazine as editor in chief, and the magazine thus turned into a fortnightly publication. Matheu continued in the founder's spirit, maintaining the relevant literary collaborations and putting special care in the quality of the reproduction of the etchings.

Imatges

The authors of this weekly graphic magazine were the writer Josep M. de Sagarra and the journalist Josep M. Planes, the future editor in chief of the publication, who presented the project to the editor and bookseller, Antoni López Llausàs, owner of the printing house NAGSA. Imatges was put in practise with a very explicit intention, to overcome “a gap” in the Catalan press.

L'Esquella de la Torratxa

L'Esquella de la Torratxa (1872-1939) was the great Republican humour magazine of the first third of the twentieth century. Owned by the López family, and popular among the middle classes, it had a strong political impact and a clear social influence, with a print run that reached 35,000 copies. Four generations of Barcelona’s professional cartoonists and illustrators contributed to the magazine, including prominent figures like Apel·les Mestres, Isidre Nonell, Josep Costa (Picarol), Feliu Elias (Apa), Jaume Passarell and Ricard Opisso

La Actualidad

Founded in Barcelona, on 5 August 1906, this weekly aimed to be a ‘global illustrated news magazine’, as its subtitle proclaimed. Accordingly, an abundance of drawings and, little by little, the massive incorporation of photographs would become one of its most distinctive formal characteristics, as would the presence of a single eye-catching image on its front cover, sometimes printed in colour for a heightened effect.

La Calle

The first issue of the magazine La Calle hit the streets in February 1931, bearing the explicit subtitle ‘seminario gráfico de izquierdas’ [left-wing graphic weekly] and containing the editorial ‘República, Ley, Justicia’ [Republic, Law, Justice]. At first, it espoused a brand of republicanism based on federalism, providing a platform for various and quite disparate intellectuals, such as Azorín. This tendency grew less pronounced following the constitution of the new government, in line with the political presence of federalism itself. La Calle was a communicative experience, publishing 73 issues between February 1931 and July 1932.

La Campana de Gràcia

A weekly satirical, republican and anticlerical magazine. It was founded by Innocenci López y Bernagosi the 8th of May 1870 with the title suggested by Valentí Almirall, who remembered the revolts provoked by a fifth-column levy two months before in the Vila de Gràcia, during which the parish bell didn't stop ringing.

La Esfera

Elegant, reformist, and an excellent piece of collection, this weekly deeply marked the panorama of the Spanish magazines of the first third of the 20th Century with its 889 editions published, in addition to the special issues on particular events or monographs dedicated to different cities of Spain. The 3rd of January 1914 it was launched, luxuriously edited in couché paper, thus commencing a long journey until its extinction, due to the international crisis, the 17th of January 1931.

La Hormiga de Oro

This weekly magazine based in Barcelona that during half a century represented the Catholicism and Carlism was founded by the journalist and politician Luis M. Llauder. Owner and editor in chief of El Correo Catalán, Llauder wanted his magazine to stand out in comparison to the other existing religious publications by reaching all kinds of audience, this is why it was proposed as a “pleasant” weekly and at an affordable price.

La Ilustración Obrera

This weekly, published by J. Masgrau and edited by Ángel Alcalde, was launched ‘for the worker’ on 20 February 1904. Its pages featured contributions from key labour leaders, such as Anselmo Lorenzo, Federico Urales or Pablo Iglesias, as well as regenerationist intellectuals of the time, such as Joaquín Costa and Miguel de Unamuno, amongst others. The aim was to eradicate ‘popular ignorance’ in a pedagogical spirit with a ‘luxuriously illustrated’ format.