Broadside with 48 scenes representing the kings and queens of Spain

Art Historical Context

This striking wood engraving from 1864 presents a sweeping visual chronicle of Spanish royalty across 48 individual scenes on a single broadside sheet. Created by Pedro Corominas and Antonio Bosch, the print arranges portraits and narrative vignettes of kings and queens in a structured grid, allowing viewers to trace the lineage of Spanish monarchs from medieval times through the nineteenth century. As a broadside—a large, one-sided printed sheet designed for public display—the work functioned as an accessible educational tool, bringing royal history into homes, schools, and public spaces during an era of growing literacy and interest in national identity. Wood engraving, the medium employed here, enabled the fine detail and crisp lines necessary for such a densely populated composition. Unlike earlier woodcuts, this technique used the hard end-grain of the wood block, making it ideal for the mass production of intricate illustrations in the mid-nineteenth century. The result is both informative and decorative, blending portraiture with small historical episodes to convey the continuity and drama of Spain’s royal past. Today housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, the sheet reflects the period’s fascination with historical narrative and the power of printmaking to democratize knowledge. Its orderly arrangement invites viewers to explore Spain’s monarchical heritage one scene at a time.

About the Artist

Pedro Corominas|Antonio Bosch (Spanish|Spanish) · 1860 |1860 –1880 |1870

Spanish, active Barcelona, ca. 1860–1880|Spanish, Gerona, active ca. 1860–70