The Symbolic Construction of Spanish Republicanism in the “Sexenio Democrático”

Abstract

After the revolution of 1868, an important emergence of republican symbols was experienced in Spain. These symbols would nourish the visual discourse of an alternative national project and, after being internalized by many men and women, would leave a mark on collective imagination. The Phrygian cap, the feminine allegories, the flags —tricolour or not— and patriotic hymns were the more visible elements of this universe, of evident French footprint, that abundantly showed up through diverse canals and formats. During the brief Republic of 1873, however, its establishment was never completed. In this article, we will examine the different strategies followed in the dissemination of these symbols, the role that they played in political socialization, the beginning of their commercialization and their limited official use.