The Casa Revilla in Valladolid opens the exhibition to the public Verses for sale, a project that shows how Poetry was used as a persuasive tool in commercial communication over two centuries. The proposal brings together 30 paneles with press materials and original pieces that allow us to follow the evolution of these advertising rhymes.
The presentation was attended by the Councilor for Education and Culture, Irene Carvajal, accompanied by the curator, the folklorist Joaquin Diaz, and the coordinator of Valladolid Letraherido, Peter OjedaThe research is based on the work of Narciso Alonso Cortés y Celso Almuiña, references in the study of the relationship between the press and poetry.
A look at two centuries of advertising verses
The itinerary, hosted in the Municipal Exhibition Hall of the Revilla House, runs from a number of the Pinciano Diary from 1787 until copies of Tillage from 1972, arranged chronologically to appreciate how the lyrics were put at the service of salesThe panels are complemented by original displays in display cases, facilitating a contextual reading of each poem and its journalistic support.
Among the represented headers are: The Mercantile Chronicle, Progress, The Castilian Enlightenment y El Fandango, among others. The exhibition recalls that many publications from the 19th and early 20th centuries were weekly, biweekly or monthly, and many groups published their own newsletter or magazine, where the verses coexisted with news and advertisements.
Visitors will find rhymes signed by Jose Zorrilla, Emilio Ferrari y César Silió, in addition to verses by the then Navarrese student Lazarus Galdiano, who published in Valladolid during his training. In this context, the exhibition highlights how established poets and occasional authors They tried out appeal formulas with meter, wit and rhythm.
One of the most striking nuclei is formed by the doggerel From the September 1880 fair: sheets with vignettes that, due to their structure, anticipate the language of comics. The curator highlights their rarity due to the difficulty of finding them. comparable specimens and for the parallels they establish between the festivals of that time and those of today.
- Trade and association publications: Old Castile (hunters), The marasmus (medical students) and Free schools (workers).
- Religious and agricultural press: I will reign in Spain, Ceres y Tillage, with verses integrated into its pages.
- Satire and local customs: El Fandango y Uncle Anton, festive headers where poetry acted as an expressive resource.
- Other signatures and editorial directions: Antonio Allúe Morer in the agricultural sector; refloating Courage and faith in 1944 with new poetic voices.
Curatorship, entities and approach
The initiative is curated by Joaquin Diaz, who has scoured local newspaper archives with a sustained commitment to this exhibition space. The organization is in charge of the Municipal Culture Foundation and JoaquÃn DÃaz Foundation, a tandem that reinforces the purpose of presenting this production as living memory of tradition printed in the city.
The curatorial approach emphasizes how communication became poetry to spread ideas, beliefs, and products. Among the rescued examples are advertisements that, with rhyme and grace, invited people to buy gloves or proclaimed the quality of the product, demonstrating the power of poetry. versification as a claim long before modern slogans.
Practical information for the visit
The exhibition can be visited Tuesday through SundayIn hours 12:00 - 14:00 and 18:30 - 21:30, with free admission, until November 16thThe place is the Municipal Exhibition Hall of the Revilla House, in the heart of Valladolid.
The tour is accompanied by a catalogue accessible through unit’s QR code, which incorporates images generated with artificial intelligence to illustrate interesting facts from headlines and advertisements. According to the curator, this technological initiative facilitates contextualization without altering the documentary nature of the materials.
Anyone who comes to Casa Revilla will find a broad and documented proposal that connects poetry, press and popular culture, with unique pieces—such as the hallelujahs—, iconic artists, and a timeline that allows us to interpret the city through its advertising rhymes; an invitation to reread yesterday's newspapers with today's eyes.