500 years of visual journalism: How the Battle of Pavia pioneered illustrated news
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Visual journalism has existed for 500 years, according to Pieter Martens, senior lecturer in architectural history at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). The Battle of Pavia in 1525 marked the first instance of war reporting through illustrations.
Fought on 24 February 1525, the battle saw Emperor Charles V’s forces defeat the French army, capturing King Francis I and decimating the French nobility. Charles V’s victory not only reshaped European power dynamics but also led to an early form of illustrated news coverage.
Eyewitnesses reported almost immediately after the battle. They printed pamphlets of several pages about Charles V's victory, with accompanying illustrations of the conflict. "They actually created the very first precursor to the newspaper," says Martens. There were also separate 'news prints' in circulation, woodcuts that depicted the battle with an accompanying explanatory text.
These prints set the stage for larger, more detailed paintings, many of which were displayed in homes across Antwerp.
"Only about 10 of these woodcuts have been preserved, but at the time there must have been hundreds," Martens says. The depictions ranged from mediocre characterisations on canvas to refined works of art on panel by renowned painters.
The works were not only intended for the wealthy elite. Many ordinary citizens had a painting of the Battle of Pavia hanging in their homes. Their widespread distribution made the Battle of Pavia the first historical event to be displayed on such a massive scale.
While earlier historical events had been illustrated, the printing revolution enabled the rapid and inexpensive production of news prints.
"It was also the first time that the images were made by eyewitness 'journalists'," Martens says, and cemented the battle's place in history as a turning point for visual storytelling.
Printed plan of the siege of Pavia in 1525. Coloured woodcut probably printed in Basel in 1525. Preserved in Pavia, Musei Civici © PHOTO PIETER MARTENS
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