Summary

Creator:

John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History

Abstract:

An auca is a graphic format popular in Spain and especially in the region of Catalonia around Barcelona. The genre dates at least to the 17th century but was banned during the 18th century before experiencing a renewal during the 19th and later the 20th centuries as a uniquely Catalonian form of expression. It takes the form of a cartoon or a comic strip, typically with 48 blocks of image and text, although some may have less. An auca is generally produced as a single sheet, but occasionally a booklet form is used. The captions tend to have some sort of consistent rhyme to assist with the flow and storytelling. Many times the term “auca” appears in the title, but another term, “aleluya,” is used, apparently interchangeably. Some sources indicate that the aleluya originated in Castile and originally included religious elements that were shed over time. The aucas found in this collection are focused primarily on advertising a range of products, businesses, services or entertainments such as films, but also present are public service announcements for topics such as safety, health or the National Lottery. A common format is to relate some sort of tangential or episodic story and end by directly promoting the product or company of choice. Narratives tend to focus on everyday events that most families would be able to at least partially relate to. Many involve nuclear families and the day-to-day trials that they may go through. Common themes involve food, gender roles, entertainment, education, family, race and hygiene. Companies represented in the materials include GAMA, Philips, Procter & Gamble, Puig, and Unilever. Items in this collection appear in both Spanish and Catalan. Acquired as part of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.

Extent:

3 Linear Feet

Language:

Materials in Spanish and Catalan

Collection ID:

RL.11006

Background

Scope and Content:

The aucas found in this collection span 1937-1985 and are focused primarily on advertising a range of products, businesses, services or entertainments such as films, but also present are public service announcements for topics such as safety, health or the National Lottery. A common format is to relate some sort of tangential or episodic story and end by directly promoting the product or company of choice. Narratives tend to focus on everyday events that most families would be able to at least partially relate to. Many involve nuclear families and the day-to-day trials that they may go through. Common themes involve food, gender roles, entertainment, education, family, race and hygiene. Companies represented in the materials include GAMA, Philips, Procter & Gamble, Puig, and Unilever. Items in this collection appear in both Spanish and Catalan. Acquired as part of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.

Biographical / Historical:

The term "auca" refers to a paneled, cartoon-like graphic genre that originated in Catalonia in the 17th century. Some sources argue that the origin comes from the Latin "ave" in the sense of a sign or hailing, others that the term derives from a Catalan dialect word for "goose" which is the name of a game that still exists. Originally auca consisted only of images, possibly derived from playing cards or games of chance. The form evolved to comprise 24-48 panels (almost always in a multiple of four) with a rhymed couplet of text typically of seven syllables, although the poetic structure could vary. Mode of production evolved with available technology, from ink drawings to lithography to photography and modern printing methods.

During the 18th century, text and images tended to center around local fairs and festivals, anniversaries and other private and public events. By the mid-late 19th century the narrative served a more pedagogical function, and the genre came to be included in the ensemble of advertising literature. Also in the 19th century, the popularity of the Auca spread to Madrid and Castile, where it was known as "Aleluja" presumably linking the genre to the prevalence of religious tracts of the region.

Sources:

Tag Archives: Aleluya--Érase una vez: un "Auca"

Wikipedia: Auca (cartoon)

Acquisition Information:

The Spanish Broadsides, Auca and Aleluya were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2013-2014

Processing information:

Processed by: Jessica Del Villar and Richard Collier, Feb. 2015

Accessions described in this finding aid: 2013-0022, 2013-0102, 2014-0147

Arrangement:

Items are numbered consecutively and housed by size.

Physical Location:

For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Rules or Conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Subjects

Click on terms below to find related finding aids on this site. For other related materials in the Duke University Libraries, search for these terms in the Catalog.

Subjects:

Advertising -- Spain
Advertising -- Spain -- 20th century

Formats:

Broadsides (notices)

Names:

John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History
Unilever (Firm)
Philips
Procter & Gamble Company
Gama (Firm)