José de la Luz y Caballero
Encyclopedia
José Cipriano de la Luz y Caballero (July 11, 1800 – June 22, 1862) was a Cuba
n scholar, acclaimed by José Martí
as "the father ... the silent layer of foundations" in Cuban intellectual life of the 19th Century (see "Un magno artículo de Martí", in Aforismos de Luz y Caballero Havana, 1960, p. 139). Interest in Luz's work was revived around the time of the Cuban Revolution
, and new editions of his work published, as he was regarded as a source of intellectual autonomy for the country.
Luz took his degree in philosophy in 1817 at the Real y Pontificia Universidad de San Gerónimo in Havana
, and took a degree in law at the Seminario de San Carlos
. From 1837 to 1841, he travelled extensively in North America
and Europe
, coming into contact with a number of important intellectuals of the time, including Sir Walter Scott, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
, Cuvier
, the German
philosopher Karl Krause, and the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt
. Krause paid a public tribute to Luz's scientific and philosophical views. With Humboldt, Luz arranged to establish a magnetic observatory in Cuba in correspondence with like institutions in Germany.
Caballero is perhaps best known for his often quoted characterization of Humboldt, who travelled in Cuba in the early 19th century, as the "second discoverer" of the island, after Columbus
: “Colón dio a Europa un Nuevo Mundo; Humboldt se lo hizo conocer en lo físico, en lo material, en lo intellectual y lo moral” ("Columbus gave Europe a New World; Humboldt made it known in its physical, material, intellectual, and moral aspects").
On his return to Cuba in 1831, Luz devoted all his time and energies to the cause of education, assuming the direction of a college from 1834 until 1839. In 1848 he founded the "El Salvador" school.
Among his works are a translation of Volney
's Travels in Egypt and Syria, with notes and additions (Paris, 1829); Siegling's Public Prisons and their Reforms, from the German
(1837); and numerous memoirs and pamphlets on educational, scientific, and philosophical subjects. There are several biographies of La Luz, one being that in Spanish
by José Ignacio Rodriguez (New York, 1874).
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n scholar, acclaimed by José Martí
José Martí
José Julián Martí Pérez was a Cuban national hero and an important figure in Latin American literature. In his short life he was a poet, an essayist, a journalist, a revolutionary philosopher, a translator, a professor, a publisher, and a political theorist. He was also a part of the Cuban...
as "the father ... the silent layer of foundations" in Cuban intellectual life of the 19th Century (see "Un magno artículo de Martí", in Aforismos de Luz y Caballero Havana, 1960, p. 139). Interest in Luz's work was revived around the time of the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
, and new editions of his work published, as he was regarded as a source of intellectual autonomy for the country.
Luz took his degree in philosophy in 1817 at the Real y Pontificia Universidad de San Gerónimo in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, and took a degree in law at the Seminario de San Carlos
San Carlos and San Ambrosio Seminary
San Carlos and San Ambrosio Seminary is a seminary in Havana, Cuba.This building was erected by the Jesuits in the mid 18th century to house a seminary first founded in 1689. After the Jesuits were expelled in 1767, it was known as the St. Ambrose Seminary and in 1774 it was opened under the name...
. From 1837 to 1841, he travelled extensively in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, coming into contact with a number of important intellectuals of the time, including Sir Walter Scott, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath. He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science. His Faust has been called the greatest long...
, Cuvier
Georges Cuvier
Georges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
, the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
philosopher Karl Krause, and the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt
Alexander von Humboldt
Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander Freiherr von Humboldt was a German naturalist and explorer, and the younger brother of the Prussian minister, philosopher and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt...
. Krause paid a public tribute to Luz's scientific and philosophical views. With Humboldt, Luz arranged to establish a magnetic observatory in Cuba in correspondence with like institutions in Germany.
Caballero is perhaps best known for his often quoted characterization of Humboldt, who travelled in Cuba in the early 19th century, as the "second discoverer" of the island, after Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
: “Colón dio a Europa un Nuevo Mundo; Humboldt se lo hizo conocer en lo físico, en lo material, en lo intellectual y lo moral” ("Columbus gave Europe a New World; Humboldt made it known in its physical, material, intellectual, and moral aspects").
On his return to Cuba in 1831, Luz devoted all his time and energies to the cause of education, assuming the direction of a college from 1834 until 1839. In 1848 he founded the "El Salvador" school.
Among his works are a translation of Volney
Constantin-François Chassebœuf
Constantin François de Chassebœuf, comte de Volney was a French philosopher, historian, orientalist, and politician...
's Travels in Egypt and Syria, with notes and additions (Paris, 1829); Siegling's Public Prisons and their Reforms, from the German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
(1837); and numerous memoirs and pamphlets on educational, scientific, and philosophical subjects. There are several biographies of La Luz, one being that in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
by José Ignacio Rodriguez (New York, 1874).
External links
- Damisela.com: http://www.damisela.com/literatura/pais/cuba/autores/luzcaballero/index.htm
- Clásicos del Pensamiento Cubano: http://www.filosofia.cu/clasic/luz.htm
- Cuba Literaria: http://www.cubaliteraria.com/autor/jose_de_la_luz_y_caballero/html/biografia.html
- El Poder de la Palabra: http://www.epdlp.com/escritor.php?id=2967