Catalan Modernism and Noucentisme: Art, Literature, and Cultural Impact
Catalan Modernism: A Cultural Revolution
The Modernisme cultural movement, prominent in Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was primarily identified with artistic currents, especially in architecture and decorative arts, rather than literature. Notable examples include Barcelona’s “Sagrada Família” and “Casa Milà,” and Valencia’s “Estació del Nord” and “Mercat Central.” In literature, Catalan Modernism aimed to build a national literature, overcoming regionalism and bridging the gap between Catalan and other European languages. This was achieved by promoting the translation of both contemporary authors (like Nietzsche) and classics (Molière, Shakespeare) into Catalan, thus establishing Catalan literature as an autonomous entity.
Noucentisme: The Rise of Intellectualism (1906-1923)
Around 1906, a group of intellectuals emerged, promoting a new image of the artist as an integrated part of society, rather than a rebel against the bourgeoisie. This movement, known as Noucentisme, was spearheaded by Eugeni d’Ors. It represented a break from the previous collaboration of the Catalan bourgeoisie with institutions. Noucentisme aimed to promote policies supporting the creation of a modern, European Catalan culture. This began with Enric Prat de la Riba, President of the Barcelona Provincial Council, and was consolidated with the formation of the first union of Catalonia, also chaired by Prat. This led to a policy of cultural normalization, focusing on creating infrastructure, including schools to replace the ineffective state-run institutions.
Key Institutions of Noucentisme
Key institutions included: The Library of Catalonia and popular libraries, as well as high culture agencies like The Institute of Catalan Studies (1907), which encompassed museums, laboratories, technical services, and training schools. This period also saw a focus on linguistic normalization. The goal was to create a culture in Catalan, which soon became the standard language in journals, books, and offices. A crucial step in consolidating Catalan was the publication of Pompeu Fabra’s “Standards of Spelling,” “Catalan Grammar,” and “General Language Dictionaries.”
The End of Noucentisme and its Legacy
Noucentisme ended in 1923 with the establishment of Primo de Rivera’s dictatorship, which suppressed the Commonwealth and most of the institutions created during this period. Despite these constraints, the initiatives of Noucentisme were crucial for the future of the Catalan language. Many of these institutions, such as the Institute of Catalan Studies, the Library of Catalonia, and the standardized language of Barcelona, remain valid today.
Noucentista Poetry: Arbitrariness and Irony
A key feature of Noucentista poetry is arbitrariness. This involved considering literary works as self-sustaining entities, dependent entirely on the free will of the speaker, without expressing personal sentiments. It utilized an artificial language and employed irony as a means of distancing from romantic emotions.