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Photo, Print, Drawing Effigy of the Fountain of the Artichoke in Market Square in Valencia During the Festival of "Las Fallas," 1931.

About this Item

Title

  • Effigy of the Fountain of the Artichoke in Market Square in Valencia During the Festival of "Las Fallas," 1931.

Summary

  • This black-and-white photograph is a postcard showing a falla (effigy made for festival) that represents the Fountain of the Artichoke in the Market Square of Valencia in 1931. A deep-rooted tradition in the city of Valencia and other towns in the Valencian Autonomous Community, the Fallas are festivities celebrated each year between March 15 and March 19. The origin of this celebration goes back to an old tradition followed by the carpenters of the city who, on the eve of March 19, the day of their patron saint, Saint Joseph, would burn scrap wood. In 2016 the Fallas were inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List. Today hundreds of allegorical monuments--usually with a satirical take on current affairs--are erected in the city. Traditionally, the effigies consist of a central figure or core composition. They can reach a considerable height (the tallest towers are more than 30 meters) and are surrounded by numerous papier mâché figurines, all erected on a wooden frame. They include signs written in Valencian explaining the meaning of each scene, always in a critical and satirical manner. The Valencian Library holds a vast collection of visual material that includes prints, photographs, posters, postcards, maps, drawings, and other minor printed ephemera, including more than 45,000 postcards dating from 1873 to the present. The use of postcards as a low-cost way of communicating short messages without the need for an envelope was first approved in Vienna on October 1, 1869. Copies of the first French, Austrian, English and Spanish editions are held at the Valencian Library. In Spain, the use of postcards was authorized by the royal ordinance of May 10, 1871. The circulation of privately produced illustrated postcards was authorized in 1886. The images in the collection of the Valencian Library mostly are views of cities, monuments, urban squares, and everyday scenes. Most are printed by collotype.

Created / Published

  • [place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 1931.

Headings

  • -  Spain--Valencia (Region)--Valencia
  • -  1931-03-15 to 1931-03-19
  • -  Artichokes
  • -  Celebrations
  • -  Cherubs (Art)
  • -  Crowds
  • -  Effigies
  • -  Festivals
  • -  Postcards

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: 1 photograph (postcard) ; 13.5 x 8.5 centimeters.
  • -  Original resource at: Valencian Library Nicolau Primitiu.
  • -  Content in Valencian.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021670972

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright or other restrictions in the World Digital Library Collection. Absent any such restrictions, these materials are free to use and reuse. Researchers are encouraged to review the source information attached to each item. For information on contacting WDL partner organizations, see this archived list of partners

The Library asks that researchers approach the materials in this collection with respect for the culture and sensibilities of the people whose lives, ideas, and creativity are documented here.

Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

For additional information and contact information for many of the partner organizations, see this archived capture of the World Digital Library site from 2021.

For guidance about compiling full citations consult Citing Primary Sources.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Effigy of the Fountain of the Artichoke in Market Square in Valencia During the Festival of "Las Fallas,". Spain Valencia Valencia Region, 1931. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021670972/.

APA citation style:

(1931) Effigy of the Fountain of the Artichoke in Market Square in Valencia During the Festival of "Las Fallas,". Spain Valencia Valencia Region, 1931. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021670972/.

MLA citation style:

Effigy of the Fountain of the Artichoke in Market Square in Valencia During the Festival of "Las Fallas,". [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021670972/>.