Museo de las Familias

Museo de las Familias was a Spanish illustrated cultural magazine founded in Madrid in 1843 by Francisco de Paula Mellado, a popular publisher of newspapers and serialized fiction. Published monthly, its first issue appeared on 25 January 1843. The magazine positioned itself as an "independent, purely literary and artistic" publication, offering "pleasant and instructive readings" while steering clear of political turmoil. It covered history, natural history, geography, travel, customs (costumbrismo), arts, biographies of illustrious Spaniards, legends, moral anecdotes, short stories, poems, and serialized novels. The magazine prided itself on being a "journal-library" aimed at entertaining and educating its readership; by 1855 it had over 4,000 subscribing families. Its most important contributor was the writer and jurist José Muñoz Maldonado, who participated from the first issue and served as director for nearly 20 years. Other notable collaborators included Manuel Bretón de los Herreros, Modesto Lafuente, José Eugenio Hartzenbusch, Ramón de Campoamor, Antonio Ferrer del Río, Gregorio Romero Larrañaga, Antonio Pirala, Carolina Coronado, Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, Cecilia Böhl de Faber y Larrea ("Fernán Caballero"), and José Zorrilla. The engravings were a mix of originals and copies from French, English, and German sources. The magazine faced competition from Semanario Pintoresco Español and El Museo Universal. It ceased publication in December 1870, unable to compete with the modern techniques and content structure of La Ilustración Española y Americana, which was launched in December 1869.

Museo de las Familias was founded in Madrid in 1843 by Francisco de Paula Mellado, a popular publisher of newspapers and serialized fiction, who handled its editing and printing. The first issue appeared on 25 January 1843. The magazine was monthly and, despite political agitations, remained aloof from politics, describing itself as an "independent, purely literary and artistic" publication that provided "pleasant and instructive readings." It competed with Semanario Pintoresco Español and El Museo Universal, and drew inspiration from foreign magazines of the same genre, particularly French ones such as Musée des familles. Paula Mellado served as director from 1843 to 1847 and again from 1865 to 1867; José Muñoz Maldonado directed between those two mandates, for nearly 20 years. From 1843 to 1854, the collection comprised 12 volumes; from 1855 to 1867, 13 more; from 1868 to April 1870, several issues were published, accumulating 96 pages, before the final period from April to December 1870 under the direction of Dionisio Chaulié. In December 1869, La Ilustración Española y Americana was created with new engraving and printing techniques and a new content structure; Museo de las Familias could not match this modernity and ceased publication exactly one year later, in December 1870. The magazine's content included articles on history, natural history, geography, travel, customs, arts, biographies of illustrious Spaniards, legends, and moral anecdotes. It published short stories, poems, serialized novels, and other texts continued over several issues. This variety was the magazine's pride, calling itself a "journal-library" intended to "entertain with instructive readings without aridity; religious or moral without boredom; amusing without scandal; and popular without charlatanism" for the more than 4,000 families subscribed in 1855. However, the magazine remained specialized in romantic and artistic subjects; with the intention of popularizing and having pedagogical value, it mainly offered "historical-legendary" or "historical-romantic" narratives, although Seoane judged these readings "very poor and insipid" and not as pleasant and instructive as promised. The most important collaborator was the writer and jurist of the Enlightenment José Muñoz Maldonado, who participated from the first issue and even held a director position for almost 20 years, though sharing his activity with Semanario Pintoresco Español, becoming the true artisan of the magazine. He would even write issues almost entirely, with the help of Francisco Fernández Villabrille (1781–1864). The magazine also benefited from the collaboration of many quality writers, including Manuel Bretón de los Herreros, Modesto Lafuente, José Eugenio Hartzenbusch, Ramón de Campoamor, Antonio Ferrer del Río, Gregorio Romero Larrañaga, Antonio Pirala, Carolina Coronado, Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, and Cecilia Böhl de Faber y Larrea ("Fernán Caballero"). José Zorrilla also participated and, posing as an Italian artist, produced several illustrations. The engravings were sometimes originals, sometimes copies of picturesque works from France (mostly), England, or Germany, giving the magazine a somewhat foreign style, especially for the colors of French engravings. The engraver Vicente Castelló participated in the launch of the magazine, and Calixto Ortega contributed regularly.

• 1870

  Dionisio Chaulié directs the final period (April–December).

• 1870

  Magazine ceases publication in December.

• 1869

  La Ilustración Española y Americana is launched in December, introducing new techniques.

• 1865

  Francisco de Paula Mellado returns as director (until 1867).

• 1855

  Magazine has over 4,000 subscribing families.

• 1847

  José Muñoz Maldonado takes over as director (until 1865).

• 1843

  First issue published on 25 January in Madrid.

• 1843

  Francisco de Paula Mellado begins first term as director (until 1847).

A "journal-library" offering pleasant and instructive readings for families, independent and purely literary and artistic.

• Museo de las Familias (monthly magazine)

  Illustrated cultural magazine covering sciences and social traditions.

1. 1Wikidata entry for Museo de las Familiaswikidata.org
2. 2French Wikipedia article on Museo de las Familiasfr.wikipedia.org
3. 3Biblioteca Nacional de España – Hemeroteca Digitalhemerotecadigital.bne.es