Modernism in Catalan Literature: Art, Society, and Key Figures
The Dawn of the 20th Century: A Changing World
The advances of industrial civilization were transforming modern life. The Belle Époque, a euphoric period of peace, creativity, and technological development, was led by the European bourgeoisie. However, a state of tension and aggressive criticism existed among intellectuals against the injustices of capitalism in the metropolis and the colonies of imperialism. This period stimulated the progress of science and technology, but was followed by World War I (1914-1918), World War II (1939-1945), and the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Literature of the 20th Century
The 20th century saw a high volume of publication and production of printed materials.
Modernism: A Cultural Revolution
Modernism encompassed the artistic and cultural currents that integrated painting, sculpture, and design. It emerged in the late 19th century, around the magazine *L’Avenç*. While often recognized for its impact on architecture, posters, furniture, and jewelry, modernist literature was also very important. It flourished in the last years of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Modernism had a clear impact on society. Artists attempted to modernize an art and a society that had been very closed. The *Renaixença* (Renaissance) fostered values that the modernists opposed, advocating for a more open and modern identity. Modernists sought to move away from the localism and folklore of the *Renaixença*.
The Artist vs. Society
Modernist artists believed that bourgeois society was materialistic, concerned only with economic power, and insensitive to art. This led to the emergence of the bohemian lifestyle, characterized by poor artists who lacked social prestige and often lived in garrets. This created a dichotomy between the rich (or “golden”) and the poor (or “sad”) bohemians.
Two Movements Within Modernism
- Regenerationists or Vitalists: Sought to change society through their art.
- Aesthetes or Symbolists: Believed in “Art for Art’s Sake,” creating beauty in a society they saw as impossible to change. They focused on creating music, furniture, etc., to achieve the highest possible aesthetic.
In the early 20th century, artists discovered that the bourgeoisie would pay for their works, leading to an approximation between the artist and the bourgeois.
Key Figures of Catalan Modernism
- Santiago Rusiñol: Known for his play *L’Auca del Senyor Esteve*.
- Joan Maragall: A leading figure in modernist poetry and a major promoter of modernist ideas.
- Mallorcan School of Poetry
- Victor Català, Prudenci Bertrana, Joaquim Ruyra: Notable figures in modernist narrative.
Modernist Theater
- Theater of Ideas: *Aigües Encantades* and *Camins de França* by Joan Puig i Ferreter.
- Symbolist Theater: Represented by Santiago Rusiñol.
Joan Maragall: A Closer Look
Joan Maragall (1860-1911) was born in Barcelona to a bourgeois family. Despite his family’s wishes for him to join the family business, he pursued law, graduating in 1884. He did not practice law, instead joining the *Diari de Barcelona*. He married in 1891 and had 13 children. From 1892 until his death at 51, he became the greatest promoter of modernist ideas, particularly regenerationism. He was a leading poet of Modernism and had a progressive ideology that spread throughout Catalonia. He was influenced by Nietzsche, believing that “man” had a vitality above society.
Maragall’s Works
- *Visions & Cants* (Visions and Songs): Recreations of ancient myths like *Serrallonga* and *Arnau*.
- Songs with patriotic implications: *El Cant de la Senyera*, *Seqüències* (1911), *La Vaca Cega*, *La Sardana*, *Oda Infinita*, *Cant Espiritual*, *Comte Arnau*.
- Essays: *Elogi de la Paraula* (In Praise of the Word) and *Elogi de la Poesia* (In Praise of Poetry).
Maragall was the main ideologue of Modernism.