View source for Jacint Verdaguer

{{short description|Catalan writer and poet}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2020}}
{{family name hatnote|Verdaguer|Santaló|lang=Catalan}}
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
| name = Jacint Verdaguer
| image = Ramon Casas - MNAC- Jacint Verdaguer- 027620-D 006609.jpg
| caption = Verdaguer as seen by [[Ramon Casas]] in 1901 ([[Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya|MNAC]])
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1845|5|17|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Folgueroles]], [[Catalonia]], Spain
| death_date = {{death date and age|1902|6|10|1845|5|17|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Vallvidrera]], [[Barcelona]], Catalonia, Spain
| occupation = Poet, priest
| movement = [[Renaixença]], [[Romanticism]]
| notableworks = [[Canigó]], [[L'Atlàntida]]
| signature = Firma autógrafa de Jacinto Verdaguer.jpg
}}

[[Image:Monument Verdaguer Mare de Déu del Mont 2.JPG|thumb|right|Statue in honor of the poet atop the [[Mare de Déu del Mont]] peak.]]
[[Image:(Barcelona) Sculpture of Jacint Verdaguer by Joan Borrell i Nicolau.jpg|thumb|right|Sculpture of Jacint Verdaguer by Joan Borrell i Nicolau in Barcelona]]
'''Jacint Verdaguer i Santaló''' ({{IPA|ca|ʒəˈsim bəɾðəˈɣej səntəl'o}}; 17 May 1845 – 10 June 1902) was a Catalan writer, regarded as one of the greatest poets of [[Catalan language|Catalan]] literature and a prominent literary figure of the [[Renaixença]], a [[Romantic nationalism|cultural revival]] movement of the late [[Romanticism|Romantic]] era.  The bishop [[Josep Torras i Bages]], one of the main figures of [[Catalan nationalism]], called him the "Prince of Catalan poets".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/10-catalan-poets-you-need-to-know/|title=10 Catalan Poets You Need to Know|last=Jessop|first=Tara|date=2017-04-07|work=Culture Trip|access-date=2018-01-02}}</ref> He was also known as ''mossèn'' (Father) Cinto Verdaguer, because of his career as a priest, and informally also simply "mossèn Cinto" (with Cinto being a short form of Jacint).
[[Image:(Barcelona) Monument a Jacint Verdaguer - Josep M. Pericas, arquitecte; Joan Borrell i Nicolau, escultor.jpg|thumb|left|Jacint Verdaguer monument on [[Plaça de Mossèn Jacint Verdaguer, Barcelona|Plaça de Mossèn Jacint Verdaguer]] in Barcelona.]]

== Life ==
He was born in [[Folgueroles]], a town on the [[Plain of Vic]], in the ''[[Comarques of Catalonia|comarca]]'' of [[Osona]] ([[Province of Barcelona]]) to a modest family who valued learning. His father, Josep Verdaguer i Ordeix ([[Tavèrnoles]], 1817 – Folgueroles, 1876), was a brickmason and farmer. His mother, Josepa Santaló i Planes (Folgueroles, 1819–1871), a housewife and farmer, was to exercise great influence over young Jacint, as she conveyed to him a love of literature, especially poetry, and was a deeply religious woman.<ref>Letter from Jacint Verdaguer to the writer Marià Aguiló ("Carta a Marià Aguiló"), Can Tona, 8 February 1871, in ''Jacint Verdaguer. Ruta verdagueriana de Folgueroles'', edited by Ricard Torrents. Vic: Amics de Verdaguer and Casa Museu Verdaguer (Estudis Verdaguerians. Sèrie La Damunt), 1992, p. 17-18. The letter is also reproduced as part of the [http://www.mapaliterari.cat/ca/api/guia/6/jacint-verdaguer/ruta-verdaguer-a-folgueroles Ruta Verdaguer a Folgueroles], Mapa Literari website) {{in lang|ca}}; Also available in ''Epistolari de Jacint Verdaguer'', with transcription and notes by Josep M. de Casacuberta and Joan Torrent i Fàbregas. Barcelona: Editorial Barcino, 11 volumes, published 1959–1993. {{in lang|ca}}</ref> He was the third of eight children, only three of whom survived. In 1855, at the age of 10, he entered the [[Seminary]] of [[Vic, Spain|Vic]], as was expected for a child who was not the first-born under the system of [[primogeniture]] and had to make his livelihood without relying on an inheritance.<ref>Pinyol i Torrents, Ramon: "Introduction", in ''Selected Poems of Jacint Verdaguer. A Bilingual Edition'', edited and translated by Ronald Puppo. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007, 339 pp, p. 2.</ref> Until then, he had lived like the other children in his town. The anecdotes told about him show that he stood out from his peers for his intelligence, astuteness and courage, as well as his athletic constitution. He displayed a balanced attitude without any apparent religious inclinations.

In 1863, when he was 18, he started to work as a tutor for a family at the Can Tona [[masia]] (where he also helped out on the farm), while he continued to study. Can Tona is in the municipal district of Sant Martí de Riudeperes, today [[Calldetenes]] ([[Osona]]). 

In 1864, while a seminary student at the {{interlanguage link|Seminari de Vic|ca}}, Verdaguer wrote his first published poem ''Als estudiants. Recepta'', written in the style of a satirical [[décima]]. He was influenced in this endeavour by the popularity of a similar satirical décima, ''Entusiasme d'un estudiant per la cresta'' written by fellow seminary student [[Andreu Garriga]] in 1863.<ref name="Serrabassa-2017">{{Cite thesis| last = Serrabassa|first = Pol | title = La Renaixença literària a Vic: dels orígens a la consolidació| url = https://www.tdx.cat/handle/10803/461857| date = 2017-11-28 |publisher = Universitat de Vic, Universitat Central de Catalunya| pages = 48}}</ref> That same year, he participated in [[Barcelona]]'s [[Floral Games]] (Jocs Florals) poetry contest, though without distinction.<ref>Domingo, Josep M. (2009) ''Barcelona i els Jocs Florals, 1859 : Modernització i Romanticisme.'' Barcelona: Ajuntament de Barcelona, Institut de Cultura. p. 22.</ref><ref>Marfany, Joan-Lluís (2003). "En pro d’una revisio´ radical de la Renaixença" In: ''Professor Joaquim Molas: Memòria, Escriptura, Història''. Barcelona: Publicacions de la Universitat de Barcelona. p. 635-656.</ref> However, he was more successful in the next two Jocs Florals, winning four prizes in 1865 and two in 1866. In the late 1860s, Verdaguer would become the central figure of the {{interlanguage link|Esbart de Vic|ca}}, a group of young poets in Vic inspired by the ideals of the Catalan [[Renaixença]].<ref>
Torrents, Ricard (2002). ''Verdaguer: Un Poeta per a un Poble''. Vic: Eumo Editorial & Universitat de Vic. p. 285.</ref>

On 24 September 1870 he was ordained a priest by the bishop Lluís Jordà in Vic, and in October that same year, he said his first Mass, in the [[Saint George|Sant Jordi]] hermitage. The next day he said his second Mass in the Sant Francesc hermitage near Vic. In 1871, his mother died (January 17) at the age of 52. On September 1 he was appointed bishop [[Coadjutor bishop|coadjutor]] of the small town of Vinyoles d'Orís and three days later he took up his charge.

In 1873, he published the ''cant'' (ode or song) "Passió de Nostre Senyor Jesucrist" (Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ). He left Vinyoles d'Orís for health reasons and moved to Vic. He went on a trip to [[Roussillon]] and saw the mountain, El [[Canigó]], possibly for the first time. In December, he joined the Companyia Transatlàntica trans-Atlantic steamship company as a chaplain because he was prescribed sea air for his health; he embarked in [[Cádiz]] bound for [[Havana]], [[Cuba]].
[[File:Verdaguer year 1880 first edition cançons Montserrat Catalan poet Jacint Verdaguer.jpg|thumb|1880 first edition of ''Cançons de Montserrat'' (''Songs of Montserrat''), poems from the sacred mountain of Montserrat by Jacint Verdaguer ]]
On 8 September 1876 his father died at the age of 65. On board the "Ciudad Condal", on the return voyage from Cuba, Jacint Verdaguer finished his epic poem ''[[L'Atlàntida]]''. In November he entered the palace of [[Antonio López, 1st Marquess of Comillas]] as an [[alms]] chaplain.

In 1877, when he was 32, and having returned from his journey, the jury of the Jocs Florals awarded him the special prize of the [[Diputació de Barcelona|Diputation]] of [[Barcelona]] for ''L'Atlàntida''. Now he had earned his reputation as a poet.

In 1878, he traveled to Rome, where he was granted an audience with [[Pope Leo XIII]]. They discussed Verdaguer's poem ''L'Atlàntida''. In 1880, as the winner of three prizes in the Jocs Florals, he was proclaimed "Master of the Gay Sciences" (''Mestre en Gai Saber''). That same year he published his book of poetry, ''Montserrat'', which included "Llegenda de Montserrat", a legend (or two) in the form of a poem with 13 cantos.

In 1883, the Barcelona City Council published a print-run of 100,000 copies of his "Oda a Barcelona" (Ode to Barcelona), a 46-stanza poem. Such a print-run was quite remarkable given that the population of Barcelona at the time was 350,000, which would have amounted to about a copy per household.<ref>Notes to "To Barcelona" in ''Selected Poems of Jacint Verdaguer: A Bilingual Edition'', edited and translated by Ronald Puppo, with an introduction by Ramon Pinyol i Torrents, University of Chicago Press, 2007, p. 319.</ref> At the age of 39, Verdaguer traveled to Paris, [[Switzerland]], Germany and Russia.

His collection of poems ''Caritat'' (''Charity'', 1885) was published to raise funds for reconstruction after the [[1884 Andalusian earthquake]].<ref>{{citation |page=40 |url=https://www.raco.cat/index.php/AnuariVerdaguer/article/viewFile/262467/349631 |access-date=2019-08-20 |language=es |journal=Anuari Verdaguer |issue=19 |year=2011 |last=Vidal Sánchez |first=Francisco |title=Terremoto de Alhama de Granada de 1884 y su impacto}}</ref>

On 21 March 1886, when he was 41 years old, Bishop Morgades crowned him 'Poet of Catalonia' in the monastery of [[Ripoll]]. He published the epic poem ''Canigó'' and made a pilgrimage to the [[Holy Land]].
[[Image:Estado español, Banco de España 500 pesetas 20834.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A young Jacinto Verdaguer wearing a [[barretina]] is depicted on the Spanish 1971 500 [[Spanish peseta|Pesetas]] banknote..]]
In 1893, following controversy about aspects of his work as a priest, he left the post of alms chaplain at [[Claudio López, 2nd Marquess of Comillas]]' palace. The publication of the trilogy ''Jesús Infant'' was completed, and he was assigned to the sanctuary of La Gleva.  For a period, he was stripped of his office as priest{{why|date=September 2025}}, although this was eventually restored.  In 1894, the books ''Roser de tot l'any'' and ''Veus del bon pastor'' were published. On 31 March he left the sanctuary of La Gleva.

On 17 May 1902, his 57th birthday, he moved from his home at Carrer Aragó 235 in Barcelona to the country house known as [[Vil·la Joana]], in [[Vallvidrera]] (Barcelona), where he hoped to convalesce. On 10 June he died in Vil·la Joana, which is now one of the [[Museum of the History of Barcelona]] (MUHBA) heritage sites.

Verdaguer was buried in [[Montjuïc Cemetery]] in Barcelona.

He was depicted on the Spanish 1971 500 [[Spanish peseta|Pesetas]] banknote.

== Selected works ==
Among his works are: 
* ''[[L'Atlàntida]]'' (Atlantis, 1876), epic poem
* ''[[Idil·lis i cants místics]]'' (Idylls and Mystic Songs, 1879), book of poems
* ''[[Montserrat (Verdaguer)|Montserrat]]'' (1880, 1899), book of poems on the topic of Montserrat
* ''"[[A Barcelona]]"'' ("To Barcelona", 1883), ode in 46 stanzas
* ''Caritat'' (Charity, 1885)
* ''[[Canigó (Verdaguer)|Canigó]]'' (1886), epic poem
* ''[[Sant Francesc]]'' (Saint Francis, 1895)
* ''[[Flors del Calvari]]'' (Flowers of Calvary, 1896)

The scenic cantata ''Atlàntida'', composed by [[Manuel de Falla]] and completed after de Falla's death by [[Ernesto Halffter]], is based on Verdaguer's ''[[L'Atlàntida]]''.  Manuel de Falla considered this large-scale orchestral piece to be the most important of all his works.

Some of his shorter poems are well known as songs in [[Catalonia]], especially "L'Emigrant" ("Sweet Catalonia, country of my heart...").

==Bibliography==
Verdaguer's works are collected in English in: 
* ''Selected Poems of Jacint Verdaguer: A Bilingual Edition'', edited and translated by Ronald Puppo, with an introduction by Ramon Pinyol i Torrents, University of Chicago Press, 2007, 339 pp. ({{ISBN|978-0226853000}}), ({{ISBN|0226853004}})

==See also==
* [[Pi de les Tres Branques]], a tree popularised by Verdaguer as a Catalan national symbol
* [[Verdaguer House-Museum]] in [[Folgueroles]]
* [[Barcelona City History Museum]] and its [[Vil·la Joana]] House
* [[Monastery of Saint-André d'Eixalada]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

===General references===
*This article draws heavily on the [[:ca:Jacint Verdaguer i Santaló|corresponding article]] in the Catalan-language Wikipedia, which was accessed in the versions of December 21, 2005 and February 2016.

== External links ==
{{wikisource-lang|ca|Autor:Jacint Verdaguer i Santaló}}
{{wikisource-lang|es|Jacint Verdaguer}}
{{commons category| Jacint Verdaguer}}
* {{lletra|URL_name=jacint-verdaguer}}
* [http://www.escriptors.cat/autors/verdaguerj/index.php Jacint Verdaguer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519064357/http://www.escriptors.cat/autors/verdaguerj/index.php |date=2017-05-19 }} at the [[Associació d'Escriptors en Llengua Catalana|Association of Writers in the Catalan Language]] website, with a biography {{in lang|en|ca|es}}, and a complete bibliography, a brief anthology (excerpts), a collection of articles of literary criticism on his work, etc. in Catalan.
* [http://www.visat.cat/traduccions-literatura-catalana/eng/autor/122/jacint-verdaguer.html About Jacint Verdaguer and his place in Catalan literature], in ''Visat'', a digital journal on literature and translation by the Catalan Chapter of [[PEN International]]. ''Visat'' No. 10, October 2010. {{in lang|en|ca|es}}
* [http://www.enciclopedia.cat/EC-GEC-0070084.xml Jacint Verdaguer i Santaló], ''[[Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana]]'' {{in lang|ca}} 
* [http://www.verdaguer.cat/ VERDAGUER'S HOUSE MUSEUM] in [[Folgueroles]], near [[Vic, Spain|Vic]] {{in lang|ca}}
* [http://museuhistoria.bcn.cat/en/node/653 Vil·la Joana] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306052836/http://museuhistoria.bcn.cat/en/node/653 |date=2016-03-06 }}, a [[masia]] on [[Collserola]] forming part of the [[Barcelona City History Museum]] (MUHBA) {{in lang|en|ca|es}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Verdaguer, Jacint}}
[[Category:Jacint Verdaguer| ]]
[[Category:1845 births]]
[[Category:1902 deaths]]
[[Category:Burials at Montjuïc Cemetery]]
[[Category:Writers from Catalonia]]
[[Category:Catalan-language writers]]
[[Category:Catalan-language poets]]