Catalan Modernism: Literary and Artistic Movements of the Early 20th Century
Introduction to Catalan Modernism
Society at the Turn of the 20th Century
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, nutrition underwent a profound transformation. Extraordinary economic expansion and industrial growth led to the rise of large cities, particularly Barcelona. Catalanism evolved into diverse political positions, including conservative, Federalist, and Republican ideals. In 1901, the Regionalist League, a Catalan conservative party, was formed, dominating Catalan political life during the first quarter of the 20th century. These changing working conditions fostered a growing awareness among the working class.
The Rise of Modernism
By the early 1890s, a desire for modernity emerged. Artists, writers, and thinkers recognized that Catalonia lagged behind the rest of Europe. Looking beyond Madrid, they turned to France, Germany, and England for inspiration. This process, known as Modernism, was the heir to the Renaixença. Catalan Modernism flourished in literature, art, and thought. Literary Modernism, spanning from 1890 to 1910, is typically divided into two periods:
First Period
- La Veu de Catalunya magazine promoted Catalan language reform and introduced European culture to Catalonia.
- Santiago Rusiñol’s modernist celebrations, beginning in Sitges in 1892, gained prominence.
Second Period
Modernism consolidated as a movement, shedding its initial aggressiveness. This phase began with the appearance of Joventut magazine. Modernism was characterized by conflict between the artist and society; while artists aimed to elevate society’s spiritual and cultural level, society focused primarily on material concerns.
Modernist Poetry
Key Modernist Poets: Joan Maragall, Víctor Català (Caterina Albert’s pseudonym), Raimon Casellas, Josep Pous i Pagès, Prudenci Bertrana, and Santiago Rusiñol.
Modernist poetry encompassed various trends: Symbolism, Vitalism, Social Poetry, Naturism, and Parnassianism, reflecting diverse European influences.
- Symbolism aimed to evoke mood.
- Vitalism celebrated human life.
- Social Poetry addressed social issues and exclusion.
- Naturism sought harmony between humanity and nature.
- Parnassianism focused on refined poetic language and form.
Joan Maragall
Joan Maragall (Barcelona, 1860-1911), from a bourgeois textile family, studied law but lacked interest in legal practice. He dedicated time to the family business before excelling as a poet and journalist. From 1890, he contributed to Diario de Barcelona and La Veu de Catalunya, introducing European influences to the Modernist movement. His works encompassed poetry, essays, and newspaper articles. His significant poetic works include Poesies, Sol, sol, Nausica, and La cançó de l’ocell.
The School of Mallorca
This group of poets shared a geographic origin and poetic vision, characterized by landscape depictions, restrained emotional expression, and classical influences.
Modernist Narrative
Modernist Catalan prose underwent significant modernization:
- Renovation of the novel and short story.
- Creation of new prose forms blending poetry and prose.
Modernists broke with previous literary conventions, seeking to explore new realms within their characters’ worlds. The short story was favored for its focused narrative. Novels often comprised collections of short stories, frequently serialized in magazines.
The Modernist Novel
Raimon Casellas’s La lluna vermella inaugurated this period, followed by works such as Jordi Fraginal’s Vides i morts and Josep Pous i Pagès’s novels. Key authors included Víctor Català, Prudenci Bertrana, and Joaquim Ruyra.
Characteristics of the Modernist Novel:
- Rebellious, nonconformist protagonists.
- Emphasis on the protagonist’s psychology.
- Symbolic use of geographical and social settings.
- Evocative descriptions.
- Exploration of raw realities and decadence.
Determinism, the belief that fate is predetermined, is a recurring theme.
Víctor Català (Caterina Albert)
Víctor Català’s Drames rurals (1902), a collection of short stories, explored themes of female marginalization and a tragic worldview. Solitud (1905) features an independent protagonist, written in poetic prose rich in symbolism.
Prudenci Bertrana
Bertrana’s Josefa tells the story of a woman seduced into a life of depravity. This short novel established Bertrana as a major novelist. His other works include short stories and the trilogy Entre la terra i el cel.
Josep Pous i Pagès
La vida i la mort de la senyora de Fraginal is Pous i Pagès’s best-known work. It follows a woman who rebels against family expectations to pursue her own destiny, ultimately confronting death.