oa De reiziger, een sympathieke kandidaat voor de verkiezingen in 1912

The traveller, a congenial candidate for the 1912 elections. Political propaganda in Arthur Buysse’s travelogue on Constantinople

In the winter of 1910-1911, liberal politician Arthur Buysse held at least 10 lantern lectures about his journey to Constantinople in liberal associations and social circles in Ghent, Belgium. The lectures were closely intertwined with other media such as newspaper reports and travel photography. An analysis of this intermediary network demonstrates that Buysse’s lantern readings were more than a picturesque travel report. Buysse subtly addressed less obvious issues, such as the need for Dutch-language education and secularization in his lectures. By adding deftly political messages, Buysse prepared the audience for the liberal party’s reorientation in the run-up to the 1912 election. This contribution examines to what extent the lantern readings profiled Buysse as a reliable helmsman for political reorientation in the liberal party.