VICENTE BLASCO IBÁÑEZ: BIOGRAPHY, STYLE AND COMPLETE WORKS - LITERATURE - 2025

Vicente Blasco Ibáñez (1867-1928) was a Spanish novelist, politician, and journalist who lived between the second half of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th. His literary work took place between his native Valencia, Paris and Argentina, where he founded two colonies: Cervantes and Nueva Valencia.

He was a member of the republican party and obtained the position of deputy of the courts in several legislative periods. As a journalist, he wrote texts in both Spanish and Catalan. During his youth he founded the newspaper El Pueblo, in Valencia.

Vicente Blasco Ibáñez. Source: Unknown Unknown author, via Wikimedia Commons

He published more than 40 novels and short stories, and was framed mainly within the naturalistic current of French novelists of the late nineteenth century. Among his most prominent titles are La barraca, Entre naranjos, Cañas y barros, La catedral and The four horsemen of the apocalypse, the latter set in France during World War I.

Several of his literary works have been adapted for film, both by the Hollywood industry and by Spanish cinema.

Biography

Birth and family

Vicente Blasco Ibáñez was born in Valencia, Spain, on January 29, 1867. His parents were Ramona Ibáñez and Gaspar Blasco, both merchants from Aragon, who had moved to Valencia in search of better economic opportunities.

Its birth occurred in a politically turbulent time for Spain. When he was barely one year old, the Revolution of '68 took place, which ended with the dethronement of Isabel II and subsequent attempts to establish a republican system of government.

Childhood in a difficult time

At an early age, he lived through the events of the so-called cantonal Revolution, led by followers of the Federal Republican Party in several Spanish cities. Among the towns was Valencia, and the immediate intention was to establish as soon as possible a federal republic in Spain.

All these events influenced the political activities to which Blasco Ibáñez dedicated a good part of his life in later years, as well as the theme of his novels.

Early interest in reading the greats

Since he was a child he was interested in reading the works of Víctor Hugo, as well as writers of the so-called Renaixensa of Catalan and Valencian culture, such as Constantí Llombart. This cultural movement aimed to exalt the Catalan and Valencian language and culture in the face of the hegemony of Spanish.

The Renaixensa developed in an analogous way to similar trends in other Spanish provinces, as was the case with the Galician Rexurdimento. This movement tackled historical themes extolling regional heroes and traditions.

Right's studies

During his adolescence, in 1882, he enrolled in a law degree at the University of Valencia. In her university stage she belonged to the student girl.

He obtained his title in the year 1888; however, from then on he practically did not practice as a lawyer.

Foundation of his first literary magazine

Parallel to his academic life and at just 16 years of age, in 1883 Blasco Ibáñez founded a literary magazine that at first was called El Miguelete, and later it was renamed El Turia.

Although the magazine did not last long in circulation, it set the precedents for the later constitution of the newspaper El Pueblo. In this newspaper the author published some of his most important writings.

Caricature of Blasco Ibáñez in «Don Quijote», 1902. Source: Manuel Tovar Siles

This interest in journalism and literature was acquired during a brief trip to Madrid that he made in the same year 1883. In the Spanish capital he met the writer and newscaster Manuel Fernández y González, for whom he transcribed novels and articles.

Political career in the Federal Republican Party

While attending college and making his first forays into journalism, he also joined the Federal Republican Party.

He participated in the meetings of this political organization, in which he immediately stood out for his charismatic personality and his gifts for oratory.

Political persecution and flight

In 1890 Enrique de Aguilera y Gamboa, Marquis of Cerralbo, arrived in Valencia as a representative of the followers of Archduke Carlos, who wanted to re-establish the traditional monarchy in Spain. The Federalists boycotted their arrival, for which several of them were persecuted.

Blasco Ibáñez took an active part in the sabotage; he fled to Algiers and then moved to Paris, where he remained until 1891.

From Paris he wrote chronicles that were published in the Spanish newspaper El Correo de Valencia. He also wrote one of his first books: History of the Spanish Revolution.

Return to Valencia and marriage

In 1891 he returned to Valencia making use of a general amnesty and married Doña María Blasco del Cacho.

From the union of these two characters four children were born, named Mario, Julius Caesar, Siegfried and Libertad.

Life as a deputy

That same year he ran for the first time as a candidate for deputy. Although he did not obtain the seat on that occasion, he was a deputy of the courts in Valencia and Madrid for the Republican Union party in the legislative periods of 1898, 1899, 1901, 1903, 1905 and 1907.

As a politician he was characterized by his eloquence and his power of conviction, which he displayed both in street rallies and in internal meetings. He quickly gained fame in Valencia for these qualities.

Around his figure arose the blasquismo, a Valencian political movement that was characterized by the call for popular sovereignty, anticlericalism and the vindication of the industrial proletariat.

This current of social thought spread through the city of Valencia, and its many followers gathered in the casinos of the popular sectors. The blasquism led to the formation of the Autonomist Republican Union Party in 1909, whose main leader was Sigfrido Blasco-Ibáñez Blasco, son of the writer.

Foundation of the newspaper

In 1894 Blasco founded the newspaper El Pueblo, whose editorial line was developed in accordance with the political ideas of its founder: through this newspaper the political meetings of the blasquism were called.

In the pages of El Pueblo, Blasco Ibáñez published more than a thousand articles, chronicles and satires. In addition, that same year he published his novel Arroz y tartana.

During the 1890s Blasco Ibáñez was imprisoned and exiled on several occasions for the riots he caused.

In 1896 he was persecuted for inciting a protest against the sending of Spanish troops to the Cuban War and took refuge for some time in a barrack in the town of Almácera, where he wrote the outline of his famous novel La Barraca, published in 1898.

Later he fled to Italy, where he wrote In the Country of Art, a tourist guide that appeared in the form of chronicles in his newspaper El Pueblo. At the end of 1896 he returned to Spain and was imprisoned in the San Gregorio penitentiary, where he wrote his story The awakening of Budha.

Publisher Foundation

At the beginning of the 20th century, he founded the publishing house Prometeo together with the Valencian publisher Francisco Sempere. There he published many of his novels, those of other writers of the time and some classics of literature.

During these years he continued to publish novels and stories, such as Between Naranjos, Cañas y Barro, La Catedral, La Maja Nude and Blood and Sand.

Already with a good reputation as a writer, in 1905 he moved to Madrid to get away from the political tension in Valencia.

In that city he served as a deputy until 1908, when he retired from political life to devote himself entirely to writing and the dissemination of his books internationally.

Second matrimony

In Madrid he met Elena Ortúzar, wife of the cultural attaché of the Chilean embassy. With her he established a long love relationship and finally married in 1925, after the death of his first wife. Both the writer and his lover were portrayed in 1906 by the painter Joaquín Sorolla.

In 1909 he moved to Argentina to give a series of conferences on literature, art, philosophy, music, history and other subjects. During the following years he traveled through the different regions of the South American country, obtaining fame and great economic benefits. In this context he founded the colonies of Nueva Valencia and Cervantes.

In 1914 he settled in Paris with Elena Ortúzar. Her arrival coincided with the outbreak of the First World War, which gave her the opportunity to publish chronicles and reports in the press regarding this conflict.

Regarding the war, he also wrote what was his most popular novel internationally: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, published in 1916.

Despite the fact that this novel did not make a great impact on the European continent, in the United States it was a best seller. In fact, it was adapted to Hollywood cinema in 1921 with the participation of the famous actor Rodolfo Valentino as the main character.

The same happened with Blood and Sand. The success of the novel prompted him to make a major tour of the United States, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Washington. He also traveled to Mexico at the invitation of President Venustiano Carranza.

Last years

In 1921 he acquired a beautiful farm called Fontana Rosa in the French town of Menton, where he spent his last years writing more novels and short stories. In the following years he also wrote numerous articles and pamphlets against the Spanish dictator Primo de Rivera.

He died on January 28, 1928 at his residence in Menton due to complications from pneumonia. In 1933, once the Second Republic was established in Spain, his remains were transferred to Valencia and buried in the civil cemetery.

Style

The novels and stories of Blasco Ibáñez can be cataloged into different styles and genres.

Some of his works are situated between the regionalist customs, with long descriptions and exaltation of his native Valencia; and the naturalism of Émile Zola and other French novelists of the second half of the 19th century. Such is the case of Arroz y tartana, La barraca, Entre naranjos, Cañas y barro and Cuentos valencianos, among others.

"The Mexican militarism", journalistic work. Cover. Source: From Archive.org digitization From the book Vicente Blasco Ibañez who died on January 28, 1928, that is, more than 70 years ago, via Wikimedia Commons

It was also developed in the genre of historical novels, such as The Pope of the Sea, At the Feet of Venus and In Search of the Great Khan, among others. These works had some characteristics of romanticism, such as patriotism. Many of his critics consider that this patriotism was influenced by his early readings of the works of Victor Hugo.

His fast yet careful writing and his ability to accurately describe environments and situations made him stand out as an excellent writer of travel and adventure books. A clear example is that of In the country of art, Argentina and its greatness and Around the world of a novelist.

He also wrote war novels: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Mare Nostrum and The Enemies of Women, as well as many other more psychological and adventure novels.

Complete works

Most of Blasco Ibáñez's works are novels and short stories, although he also published history books, travel books, and compilations of newspaper articles. Their titles, arranged chronologically, are the following:

- The Catechism of the Good Federal Republican (1892).

- Long live the Republic! (1893).

- Paris, impressions of an émigré (1893).

- Wedding night (1893).

- Rice and tartana (1894).

- Flower of May (1895).

- In the country of art (1896).

- Valencian stories (1896).

- The barrack (1898).

- Between orange trees (1900).

- The condemned (1900).

- Sónnica the courtesan (1901).

- Reeds and clay (1902).

- The cathedral (1903).

- The intruder (1904).

- The winery (1905).

- The horde (1905).

- The naked maja (1906).

- East (1907).

- The will to live (1907).

- Blood and sand (1908).

- The dead rule (1909).

- Luna Benamor (1909).

- Argentina and its greatness (1910).

- The Argonauts (1914).

- History of the European war (1914-1921).

- The four horsemen of the Apocalypse (1916).

- Mare Nostrum (1918).

- The enemies of women (1919).

- Mexican militarism (1920).

- The loan of the deceased (1921).

- The paradise of women (1922).

- The land of all (1922).

- Queen Calafia (1923).

- Novels of the blue coast (1924).

- Around the world of a novelist (1924-1925).

- A kidnapped nation (1924).

- What will be the Spanish republic (1925).

- For Spain and against the king. Alfonso XIII unmasked (1925).

- The Pope of the Sea (1925).

- At the feet of Venus: the Borgias (1926).

- Novels of love and death (1927).

- The Knight of the Virgin (1929).

- In search of the Great Khan (1929).

- The ghost of the golden wings (1930).

- The condemned and other stories (1979).

References

1. Vicente Blasco Ibáñez. (S. f.). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered: wikipedia.org
2. Vicente Blasco Ibáñez. (S. f.). (N / a): Biographies and Lives, the online biographical encyclopedia. Recovered: biografiasyvidas.com
3. Vicente Blasco Ibáñez. (S. f.). Spain: Cervantes Virtual Center. Recovered: cervantesvirtual.com
4. Blasco Ibáñez, Vicente. (S. f.). (N / a): Escritores.org. Recovered: writers.org
5. Vicente Blasco Ibáñez. (S. f.). Cuba: EcuRed. Recovered: ecured.cu.