JUAN LEÓN MERA: BIOGRAPHY, WORKS, AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS - LITERATURE - 2025

Juan León Mera (1832-1894) was an Ecuadorian writer, painter and politician born in June 1832. His family circumstances caused him to be unable to go to school as a child, so he received his first education in his own home. At the age of 20 he went to live in the capital, Quito, where he began taking painting classes.

Over time, Mera was able to publish her first literary works and her name began to be known. This recognition was not limited to the artistic sphere, but reached politics. The author, conservative and Catholic, was elected senator and held various public offices. While he held one of these positions he was commissioned to write the lyrics for the country's anthem.

Juan León Mera - Source: Unknown / Public domain

On the literary side, Mera was an admirer of French romanticism and the Spanish writer José Zorrilla. In addition, it was characterized by its defense of the Creole aristocracy and by its recognition of the indigenous fact in Ecuador. His novel Cumandá is possibly the work in which I best combined all these factors.

His last years were spent in retirement at the Los Molinos farm, near the place where he had lived as a child. At that stage of his life he devoted himself above all to painting, an activity that he did not abandon until his death in 1894.

Biography

Juan León Mera was born on June 28, 1832 on a farm located in the town of Ambato, Ecuador. His childhood was marked by the abandonment of his father and the lack of family resources.

This poverty caused him to be unable to attend school, so he was educated at home by his mother, his great-uncle and, especially, by his uncle Nicolás Martínez, a doctor of jurisprudence with many political and cultural contacts.

Transfer to Quito

At age 20, Mera moved to Quito in search of better job opportunities. There she befriended Pedro Fermín Cevallos, a well-known historian, and Julio Zaldumbide, a successful poet. During his first years in the Ecuadorian capital, the young Mera received painting classes in Antonio Salas' workshop.

He found his first job at the Post Office, although he soon showed his literary vocation and began to collaborate in various newspapers. It was in one of them, La Democracia, where he published his first poems, in 1854.

Ideological evolution

His presence as a contributor to the press made Mera begin to make a name for himself in the cultural environments of the capital. In addition, his contacts in the world of politics were also numerous.

In this last aspect, the biographers point out that Mera had certain liberal tendencies the first time he was elected deputy. However, his ideology was progressively approaching conservatism.

Despite having attacked Gabriel García Moreno, Ecuadorian president on several occasions and with a marked autocratic bias, over time he became one of his supporters. According to experts, Mera also began to defend Catholicism with great passion.

Literary and political career

In 1857, the author became a contributor to several weeklies, such as El Artesano. In addition to his creative side, he also began literary research.

His name soon became very popular in the capital due to the intelligence of his writings and the patriotism they reflected. In 1860, after the battle of Guayaquil, García Moreno called him to occupy the post of Provincial Treasurer of Ambato.

Somewhat later he was appointed Secretary of the Council of State in Quito. In 1861, the writer was elected deputy to the National Constituent Assembly. One of his priorities was to abolish the death penalty.

Also in 1861, Mera was elected an honorary member of the “El Iris Ecuatoriano” Society, which published two of his works: the biography of Miguel de Santiago and the poem La Virgen del sol. The following year, he joined the Literary Scientific Society.

National anthem

While he was Secretary of the Senate Chamber, in 1865, he was commissioned to write the lyrics for the National Anthem of Ecuador. Mera put all his efforts to fulfill this mission.

The verses were approved by Congress and were sent to Guayaquil for the composer Antonio Neumane to compose music according to them. Thus was born the National Anthem of the country.

Mera, that same year, happened to occupy the position of Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior of Foreign Relations.

Mera's literary and investigative production grew considerably in the following years. On the other hand, she continued to support García Moreno and even participated in some barracks.

Masterpiece

Although not all experts agree, most consider Cumandá the culmination of Mera or, at least, the most famous. This book was published in 1879, after the author sent a copy to the Royal Spanish Academy.

Last years

Juan León Mera spent his last years at the Los Molinos farm. This belonged to one of his uncles and had been where he had spent much of his youth.

Mera dedicated herself to painting during those years. Thus she was able to apply the teachings received from the famous painter Antonio Salas.

His last written projects were an apology for García Moreno and an epic story about Huayna-Cápac. His death, on December 13, 1894, prevented the completion of these two works.

Fun facts

Interest in painting

Although Mera is best known for his literary work and for being the author of the lyrics of the Ecuadorian hymn, his first artistic interest was in painting.

When he arrived in Quito, he began taking painting classes. Antonio Salas, his teacher, taught him everything he needed to carry out this activity.

Spoke several languages

A little-known fact about Juan León Mera is his facility with languages. His training in Catholicism, promoted by his family, led him to learn Latin and to be able to read the lives of the saints in that language.

Despite not being able to go to school, Mera also learned to read French and Italian during her childhood. As an adult she learned to speak both languages more fluently.

Nature

Another of Mera's interests was nature. She began by studying the vegetation typical of the area where Quinta Atocha, the family farm, was located. The writer preserved samples of various species and used this knowledge to set her books.

Plays

During his romantic period, Mera wrote many poems and plays that showed considerable influence from José Zorrilla, a Spanish playwright and poet whom he greatly admired.

Those early poems used to be very short and conservative in theme. In them, as was typical of romanticism, it reflected the traditions and customs of its people. One of the earliest examples of these writings was Poesías, published in 1858 in the newspaper La Democracia.

Later, in 1861, he published La Virgen del Sol, with which he showed his interest in the Ecuadorian indigenous culture. Other works of the time were Devout Poems and New Month of Mary, both with a theme related to religion.

Although his most famous work was Cumandá, many experts consider that a historical-critical look at Ecuadorian poetry from its most remote times to the present day was his most valuable book. It is a journey through the poetry of the country throughout history.

Cumandá

As noted, Cumandá is considered the most famous work of the author. It was published in 1879 and allowed him to reflect the life of the indigenous people in the jungle.

The central plot, with large doses of nationalism, romanticism and support for miscegenation, deals with the romantic relationship between a white man and an Indian woman. This relationship ends up causing big problems, disputes and threats.

According to literary critics, this book contains much of the theme characteristic of Mera's work. The author always tried to integrate indigenous people into society and made an effort to make their customs, ethnicities and ways of life known to the rest of the population.

Poems

The influence of romanticism was perfectly seen in the theme of Mera's poems: the nation, nature, indigenous people or customs. In her case, her conservative ideology and her Catholicism were also reflected.

Awards and honours

Juan León Mera received some recognitions while he was still alive, especially in the form of invitations to join cultural organizations.

Other charges

Mera was one of the founders of the Ecuadorian Academy of the Language, in 1847. In addition, he was a member of the Royal Seville Academy of Good Letters, he was part of the Royal Spanish Academy of the Language and an honorary member of the Ecuadorian Academy of the Language and President of the Ateneo de Quito.

Juan León Mera Award

For a few years, the Ecuadorian government has created an annual award with the purpose of promoting and supporting culture in the country. The Ministry of Education and Culture, convener of the award, seeks to strengthen the national identity and values ​​of its people.

The name of this award, Juan León Mera, is a recognition of the importance of this author for the cultural life of Ecuador. In addition, it is awarded every year on the day of his birth.

References

1. Aviles Pino, Efrén. Juan León Mera Martínez. Obtained from encyclopediadelecuador.com
2. Biographies and Lives. Juan Leon Mera. Obtained from biografiasyvidas.com
3. Ecured. Juan Leon Mera. Obtained from ecured.cu
4. The biography. Biography of Juan León Mera Martínez (1832-1894). Retrieved from thebiography.us
5. Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture. Mera, Juan León (1832–1894). Retrieved from encyclopedia.com
6. Revolvy. Juan Leon Mera. Retrieved from revolvy.com