Juan L. Ortiz
Encyclopedia
Juan Laurentino Ortiz (June 11, 1896 - September 2, 1978) was an Argentine
poet
, born in the town of Puerto Ruiz, Entre Ríos Province
. He died in Paraná, capital of the same province, at the age of 82.
He spent his childhood in the wilds of Montiel, a landscape that forever marked his poetry.
He studied philosophy and lived a short time in Buenos Aires
, but soon returned to his province. Although he joined some political movements, he lived mostly isolated from the cultural climate of Argentina's capital and only traveled abroad once at the invitation of the communist government of China
.
His extensive work identified the mind with the landscape that surrounded him throughout his life in a "splendid monotony". The image of his tall and thin figure in concentrated observation of the river scenery transcended his work and became a literary legend. 'Juanele', as he began to be called in the literary circles of the Argentinian capital, published his poems of long verses in lowercase typography, taking painstaking care of every aspect of the manuscript. As a result, these characteristics tended to be respected by his publishers in the published version of his poems.
The symbolism
of French and Oriental poetry influenced his work, which was characterized by delicacy and a contemplative disposition which often referred to rivers, trees, floods, and the changes of the seasons without skirting the social history of his home province. At the same time, his poems exhibit a special sensitivity to the "drama of poverty" and, in particular, the suffering of innocent children. One of his well-known poems, "The Gualeguay", is a narrative of both the landscape and historical and economic events that occurred on the banks of one of the rivers in the province.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, born in the town of Puerto Ruiz, Entre Ríos Province
Entre Ríos Province
Entre Ríos is a northeastern province of Argentina, located in the Mesopotamia region. It borders the provinces of Buenos Aires , Corrientes and Santa Fe , and Uruguay in the east....
. He died in Paraná, capital of the same province, at the age of 82.
He spent his childhood in the wilds of Montiel, a landscape that forever marked his poetry.
He studied philosophy and lived a short time in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, but soon returned to his province. Although he joined some political movements, he lived mostly isolated from the cultural climate of Argentina's capital and only traveled abroad once at the invitation of the communist government of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
His extensive work identified the mind with the landscape that surrounded him throughout his life in a "splendid monotony". The image of his tall and thin figure in concentrated observation of the river scenery transcended his work and became a literary legend. 'Juanele', as he began to be called in the literary circles of the Argentinian capital, published his poems of long verses in lowercase typography, taking painstaking care of every aspect of the manuscript. As a result, these characteristics tended to be respected by his publishers in the published version of his poems.
The symbolism
Symbolism (arts)
Symbolism was a late nineteenth-century art movement of French, Russian and Belgian origin in poetry and other arts. In literature, the style had its beginnings with the publication Les Fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire...
of French and Oriental poetry influenced his work, which was characterized by delicacy and a contemplative disposition which often referred to rivers, trees, floods, and the changes of the seasons without skirting the social history of his home province. At the same time, his poems exhibit a special sensitivity to the "drama of poverty" and, in particular, the suffering of innocent children. One of his well-known poems, "The Gualeguay", is a narrative of both the landscape and historical and economic events that occurred on the banks of one of the rivers in the province.
Works
- "El agua y la noche" (1924–1932)
- "El alba sube..."(1933–1936)
- "El ángel inclinado" (1938)
- "La rama hacia el este" (1940)
- "El álamo y el viento" (1947)
- "El aire conmovido" (1949)
- "La mano infinita" (1951)
- "La brisa profunda" (1954)
- "El alma y las colinas" (1956)
- "De las raíces y del cielo" (1958)
- "En el aura del sauce" (Complete works 1970-1971, including "El junco y la corriente", "El Gualeguay" and "La orilla que se abisma", which were previously unpublished)