Estampa Magazine was a weekly illustrated articles about contemporary stories nationally and internationally born as a project with Luis Montiel Balanzat engineer from Madrid and moderate monarchist, and an enthusiast of technology, machines and progress. This character, which had started in the graphic arts world through Madrid and printing Bin Charts Excelsior, acquired Rivadeneyra Successors workshops, a facility that allowed him to print official publications such as La Gaceta de Madrid and the Journal of sessions. Also acquired new and restructured rotary photogravure workshop, machining and electrifying the entire production process.
The first issue came to light on January 3, 1928, and from the beginning to comply with the claims that responded to its subtitle "Chart Magazine and Literature of the English and World News "with excellent quality reproductions. Montiel concert helped by Antonio García de Linares, who edited the magazine just a couple of months but getting into this short space of time a circulation of 100,000 copies. From the number 10, the same Montiel took over the editorship of the journal, leaving the role of the journalist editor Sánchez Ocaña. After a year, came to 200,000, which equaled a strong competitor of the day as were the Black and White magazine and the New World.
The first issue came to light on January 3, 1928, and from the beginning to comply with the claims that responded to its subtitle "Chart Magazine and Literature of the English and World News "with excellent quality reproductions. Montiel concert helped by Antonio García de Linares, who edited the magazine just a couple of months but getting into this short space of time a circulation of 100,000 copies. From the number 10, the same Montiel took over the editorship of the journal, leaving the role of the journalist editor Sánchez Ocaña. After a year, came to 200,000, which equaled a strong competitor of the day as were the Black and White magazine and the New World.
Criterion editorial that led Estampa since its creation was to reach the public, and it took a modest gesture, without obvious political commitments, so it was almost impossible not to find in it any reference beyond explicit ideological positions as a community by a wide range of population, as were the religious or patriotic feeling. Stamp Magazine had the stated intention from the outset, if the magazine and for everyone focused on graphic information on events curious, quaint or exotic, in news about celebrities and rich stories about everyday life, with which identified the lectores.Desde the first issue, the magazine opted towards a female audience and being neither a women's magazine or a real feminist magazine, was interested in the role of women in the society, highlighting its foray into professions to one time reserved for men. Another important feature was that although edited in Madrid, the publication did not show a spirit too centrist, but he gave graphic information throughout the state, echoing in their stories, intellectuals and politicians Catalan, Basque or Galician, from a tone of respect and even admiration.
A distinctive feature of the magazine was the large number of photographs that filled the pages of the publication. At first, between 1928 and 1930 seemed to have a disparity of shapes and styles. There was a lot of graphic contributors, photographers usually have an open gallery in a city minimally important and they sent pictures loose realized provincial events in some social relevance. These photographs were presented as graphic notes in a kind of visual album. It was the photography of which had a greater presence in the magazine, or at least the most weight in the editorial treatment.
Between late 1930 and early in 1931 it became apparent a change in the magazine. Usual number of photographers stopped publishing with the same regularity. There was also some renovation in the provinces and graphics staff is a visible increase of the photographs of agency, albeit from 1932, ceased to have that character mellifluous, shocking or exotic to become more cosmopolitan. Between 1931 and 1932 appears to photojournalism had less presence than in the previous stage. However, there were thrilling events that were happening in Spain. The magazine had abundant graphics pages of notes, actually reporting on those events (burning of convents, general strike, etc.). made by different photographers.
Between late 1930 and early in 1931 it became apparent a change in the magazine. Usual number of photographers stopped publishing with the same regularity. There was also some renovation in the provinces and graphics staff is a visible increase of the photographs of agency, albeit from 1932, ceased to have that character mellifluous, shocking or exotic to become more cosmopolitan. Between 1931 and 1932 appears to photojournalism had less presence than in the previous stage. However, there were thrilling events that were happening in Spain. The magazine had abundant graphics pages of notes, actually reporting on those events (burning of convents, general strike, etc.). made by different photographers.
With the number 227 of May 14, 1932, Stamp magazine started a new stage. There was a noticeable decline in sports photography and graphic notes were leaving now occupy space, to be virtually nonexistent in 1934. There were also fewer images per page but with a larger format, increasing the number of reports.
From the number 447, cone coinciding the start of the English Civil War, and fidelity in all republican law (despite the monarchical affiliation) by Montiel, the magazine was confiscated Estampa by the Young Socialists. Also, from the said point, the war monopolized the written and graphic information, giving way to stories of Soviet propaganda. However, in this period there was a lot of pictures that are unsigned, especially those from the front. The last issue came into light in 1938, and ended the war did not obtain permission to re-edited. According to Francisco Vera
Casas, in his paper titled "An approach to reportage photography in the magazine Stamp (1928-1928)," he said in his speech given at the University Politécnica de Valencia Estampa Magazine "is an example with a clear pictorial mass media, a magazine to be seen both as read, a publication designed to meet the reader's drive, it constitutes a means of communication and representation of the world, an organizer and a generator symbolic worldview. Contrary to contemporary publications, Stamp making modern forms and principles, at least in the forms and do it all based on indigenous models (which will be getting rid of progressively) in a time when other European journals are renewed or appear, as the French Vu. "
From the number 447, cone coinciding the start of the English Civil War, and fidelity in all republican law (despite the monarchical affiliation) by Montiel, the magazine was confiscated Estampa by the Young Socialists. Also, from the said point, the war monopolized the written and graphic information, giving way to stories of Soviet propaganda. However, in this period there was a lot of pictures that are unsigned, especially those from the front. The last issue came into light in 1938, and ended the war did not obtain permission to re-edited. According to Francisco Vera
Casas, in his paper titled "An approach to reportage photography in the magazine Stamp (1928-1928)," he said in his speech given at the University Politécnica de Valencia Estampa Magazine "is an example with a clear pictorial mass media, a magazine to be seen both as read, a publication designed to meet the reader's drive, it constitutes a means of communication and representation of the world, an organizer and a generator symbolic worldview. Contrary to contemporary publications, Stamp making modern forms and principles, at least in the forms and do it all based on indigenous models (which will be getting rid of progressively) in a time when other European journals are renewed or appear, as the French Vu. "
continues saying the same "Stamp is therefore clearly a visual publication, compared to the static layout of the previous publications, has a dynamic layout that leaves out many times the column structure, allowing even the box overflowing with images. However, Stamp magazines are unlike those in use that gives the photographs, each time further away from mere illustration to flesh informative and expressive forms of reporting. We are therefore faced with a moderate ideology publication right, but that meets the expectations and wishes de cambios y transformaciones de su tiempo mediante la representación de este mundo como algo cambiante, mirándolo de manera diferente, fijándose en la gente de la calle tanto como en los personajes ilustres y mostrando las paradojas y curiosidades que por todas partes aparecen. Creo que no sería denodado pensar que la estructuración simbólica y cultural de la España de aquel momento se debía, en gran parte, a Estampa”.
Y finaliza su conclusión diciendo que “sin embargo, Estampa acoge la obra de fotógrafos profesionales que, al margen del salonismo y de las pretensiones artísticas, entienden la fotografía such as communication and information, as a means to convey to his peers the world they live, showing angles and new perspectives in a position that I would say somewhere between the election theme of everyday life of French photography and compositional forms and position of German photography photographer of the moment. The work of Zapata, Badosa, Benitez Casaux, Contreras and Vilaseca, Erik, Gonshani, Marina, Oplés, Almazán, etc., Are an important part of our photographic heritage and represent one of the most prolific periods, I understand, English photography. The work of these professionals, coupled with well-known author and recognized, as is the case of Alfonso, Centelles, Díez Casariego Campua or make up the iconography of our history and the recovery of his work would raise an important step in building a history of English photography. "
