Pedro Balmaceda
Encyclopedia
Pedro Balmaceda Toro was a Chile
an writer and journalist, considered the promotor of the Modernismo
school in Latin America. Pedro Balmaceda was of Basque
descent.
, the son of José Manuel Balmaceda Fernández
and of Emilia de Toro Herrera. Since a very early age he suffered from a severe spinal deformation when his nanny accidentally dropped him while he was just a few months old. This deformity was compounded with a heart ailment that eventually caused his death. His physical infirmities permeated his vision of the world and gave him a high regard for physical beauty that was to shape his writings.
He was fluent in Greek and French, collected classic books and French magazines (specially the Nouvelle Revue and the Revue des deux mondes
), original works of art, silks and Chinese screens. He was a fervent admirer of French culture, without having ever set foot in France. His favorite musician was Chopin, and he was a very good piano player himself. He was also an avid reader of Théophile Gautier
, Alfred de Musset
and Paul de Saint Victor
, and in his writings he used two pseudonym
s: A. de Gilbert and Jean de Luçon; in short, he surrounded himself with an aura of decadent beauty, very similar to the symbolism that was his inspiration.
His importance though is not to be found in his writings, but in his ability to identify and promote new artistic talents. His salons, some of which were held at his private apartments, some at the presidential palace of La Moneda while his father was president, were the most important cultural gathering points of the time. He also promoted the creation of the old Ateneo de Santiago. In 1886, he met Rubén Darío
, then a lonely, awkward, poor and unemployed 19 years-old immigrant, at the editorial room of the La Epoca newspaper, where he was a collaborator, and soon both became fast friends. From the very beginning Balmaceda became his mentor and protector. He introduced Darío to the Parnassian and Symbolist
poets in his library: Leconte de Lisle
, Catulle Mendes
, Gautier
, Beaudelaire
and Verlaine
. He financed the publication of his book Abrojos (1887), and was the main support behind Azul (1888).
He died in Santiago on June 1, 1889, at the age of 21. After his death, his newspaper articles were collected by Manuel Rodríguez Mendoza into a volume called Studies and Literary Essays. Darío was in El Salvador
when he learned of his death, and wrote a short tale in his memory:The death of the Empress of China and an essay in book form: A. de Gilbert.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an writer and journalist, considered the promotor of the Modernismo
Modernismo
Modernismo is Spanish for modernism, however the term Modernism also indicates a more specific art movement:* Modernismo refers to a Spanish-American literary movement, best exemplified by Rubén Darío...
school in Latin America. Pedro Balmaceda was of Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
descent.
Life and career
He was born in SantiagoSantiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, the son of José Manuel Balmaceda Fernández
José Manuel Balmaceda
José Manuel Emiliano Balmaceda Fernández was the 11th President of Chile from September 18, 1886 to August 29, 1891. Balmaceda was part of the Castilian-Basque aristocracy in Chile...
and of Emilia de Toro Herrera. Since a very early age he suffered from a severe spinal deformation when his nanny accidentally dropped him while he was just a few months old. This deformity was compounded with a heart ailment that eventually caused his death. His physical infirmities permeated his vision of the world and gave him a high regard for physical beauty that was to shape his writings.
He was fluent in Greek and French, collected classic books and French magazines (specially the Nouvelle Revue and the Revue des deux mondes
Revue des deux mondes
The Revue des deux Mondes is a French language monthly literary and cultural affairs magazine that has been published in Paris since 1829....
), original works of art, silks and Chinese screens. He was a fervent admirer of French culture, without having ever set foot in France. His favorite musician was Chopin, and he was a very good piano player himself. He was also an avid reader of Théophile Gautier
Théophile Gautier
Pierre Jules Théophile Gautier was a French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, art critic and literary critic....
, Alfred de Musset
Alfred de Musset
Alfred Louis Charles de Musset-Pathay was a French dramatist, poet, and novelist.Along with his poetry, he is known for writing La Confession d'un enfant du siècle from 1836.-Biography:Musset was born on 11 December 1810 in Paris...
and Paul de Saint Victor
Paul Bins, comte de Saint-Victor
Paul Bins, comte de Saint-Victor , known as Paul de Saint-Victor, French author, was born in Paris. His father Jacques BM Bins, comte de Saint-Victor , is remembered by his poem L'Espérance, and by an excellent verse translation of Anacreon.Saint-Victor, who ceased to use the title of count as...
, and in his writings he used two pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s: A. de Gilbert and Jean de Luçon; in short, he surrounded himself with an aura of decadent beauty, very similar to the symbolism that was his inspiration.
His importance though is not to be found in his writings, but in his ability to identify and promote new artistic talents. His salons, some of which were held at his private apartments, some at the presidential palace of La Moneda while his father was president, were the most important cultural gathering points of the time. He also promoted the creation of the old Ateneo de Santiago. In 1886, he met Rubén Darío
Rubén Darío
Félix Rubén García Sarmiento , known as Rubén Darío, was a Nicaraguan poet who initiated the Spanish-American literary movement known as modernismo that flourished at the end of the 19th century...
, then a lonely, awkward, poor and unemployed 19 years-old immigrant, at the editorial room of the La Epoca newspaper, where he was a collaborator, and soon both became fast friends. From the very beginning Balmaceda became his mentor and protector. He introduced Darío to the Parnassian and Symbolist
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...
poets in his library: Leconte de Lisle
Charles-Marie-René Leconte de Lisle
Charles Marie René Leconte de Lisle was a French poet of the Parnassian movement.-Life:Leconte de Lisle was born on the island of Réunion. His father, an army surgeon, who brought him up with great severity, sent him to travel in the East Indies with a view to preparing him for a commercial life...
, Catulle Mendes
Catulle Mendès
Catulle Mendès was a French poet and man of letters.Of Portuguese Jewish extraction, he was born in Bordeaux. He early established himself in Paris and promptly attained notoriety by the publication in the Revue fantaisiste of his Roman d'une nuit, for which he was condemned to a month's...
, Gautier
Théophile Gautier
Pierre Jules Théophile Gautier was a French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, art critic and literary critic....
, Beaudelaire
Charles Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire was a French poet who produced notable work as an essayist, art critic, and pioneering translator of Edgar Allan Poe. His most famous work, Les Fleurs du mal expresses the changing nature of beauty in modern, industrializing Paris during the nineteenth century...
and Verlaine
Paul Verlaine
Paul-Marie Verlaine was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the fin de siècle in international and French poetry.-Early life:...
. He financed the publication of his book Abrojos (1887), and was the main support behind Azul (1888).
He died in Santiago on June 1, 1889, at the age of 21. After his death, his newspaper articles were collected by Manuel Rodríguez Mendoza into a volume called Studies and Literary Essays. Darío was in El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
when he learned of his death, and wrote a short tale in his memory:The death of the Empress of China and an essay in book form: A. de Gilbert.