Looking Down from the Dom Tower with a Romantic Gaze: A Visual Analysis of Postcards in the City of Utrecht
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2019-07-02
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en
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Abstract
Postcards are a unique cultural text that can be used to develop an understanding of the role of visual images in the representation of a country, city or area. Postcards are intended to present a visual narrative of a specific place by shaping the viewer’s gaze and providing symbols for consumption. Due to the city of Utrecht’s increasing number of tourists and investments, postcards from this location are analysed in this thesis to examine how they represent the city. The various images presented in the postcards are analysed through visual content and semiotic analysis drawn from John Urry’s theory of the tourist gaze. Important recurrent motifs are the cultural heritage, social space, nature and the romantic gaze. It is concluded that Utrecht is represented by postcards as a city with many cultural sights, and that it is depicted from a romantic perspective in a quiet and green environment.
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Faculteit der Letteren