“La tierra toda paresçía que temblava”. Engravings and illustrated relations as instruments for artistic exaltation of the victory of Charles V in Pavia (1525)

Abstract

During the Modern Age, the printed dissemination of political or war news became widespread, often complemented with illustrations. The great powers of the moment were mainly responsible for this process, understanding the capabilities that these mass media had to build a state of opinion favorable to their interests. In this sense, the Italian Wars played a key role, and especially the Battle of Pavia. Charles V's victory would be made known through a multitude of artistic means, at a time when the emperor was still asserting his power. Within this set, engravings and scenes in short texts occupied a fundamental place. Sometimes, these images are very simple and generic, but there are also examples that are very attentive to the reality of the facts and space.