Renaixença

The Renaixença (pronounced|rənəˈʃɛnsə) was an early 19th century late romantic revivalist movement in Catalan language and culture, akin to the Galician Rexurdimento or the Occitan Félibrige movements.

Along with the later "modernisme", this movement ended a period of Catalan cultural decline commonly known as Decadència, that dated back at least to defeat in the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) [http://www.gaudiallgaudi.com/A0003.htm Art Nouveau in Catalonia] , on GaudiAllGaudi.com. Accessed 26 March 2006.] and the subsequent Nueva Planta decrees, which suppressed Catalonia's traditional institutions, privileges, and "fueros" beginning January 16, 1716. Thus, the aim of this movement was the full restoration of Catalan as a language of culture, not only through the promotion of various forms of art, theatre and literature in this language, but also attempting to establish a normative standard for the language, something however not fully accomplished until the first quarter of the 20th century.

As with most of the other Romantic movements, it was noted for its admiration of the Middle Ages, which was often reflected in art, and in Barcelona, the literary contest known as Jocs Florals or "Jocs de la Gaia Ciència" was revived.

The Renaixença occurred not only in Catalonia proper, but also in other Catalan-speaking regions such as the Balearic Islands. [ [http://mnm.uib.es/movlit/mov.php?mov=13 The Renaixença] , part of [http://mnm.uib.es/movlit/index.php Els Moviments Literaris Contemporanis a les Balears] , on mnm.uib.es. Accessed 26 March 2006.]

A journal particularly associated with the movement was the magazine "La Renaixença", from which the name was actually taken - originally spelt "Renaixensa" before the Fabrian Spelling Reform.

Notable individuals related to Renaixença

* Bonaventura Carles Aribau, writer. - His poem "Oda a la pàtria" is usually acknowledged to have kick-started the movement.
* Joan Maragall, poet.
* Jacint Verdarguer, poet, penned L'Atlàntida and the Catalan national epic, "Canigó".
* Àngel Guimerà, playwright.
* Narcís Oller, novelist heavily influenced by Émile Zola's naturalism.
* Frederic Soler, known as "Pitarra", playwright who favoured colloquial Catalan of his time over more classical conventions.
* Joaquim Rubió i Ors, poet, his moniker to be variously written as "Lo Gayté del Llobregat", "El Gaiter del Llobregat", among others (depending on the spelling used)
* Víctor Català (real name Caterina Albert i Paradís), symbolist writer.
* Martí Genís i Aguilar, writer.
* Antoni Puigblanch, poet.
* Francesc Camprodon, poet.
* Victor Balaguer, writer. Used the pseudonym "Lo trovador de Montserrat".

Notes

External links

* [http://www.uoc.edu/lletra/moviments/renaixenca/index.html Renaixença] , from the "Nou diccionari 62 de la literatura catalana" (2000). Page also contains extensive links to other reference-quality material. In Catalan.
* [http://www.mhcat.net/oferta_museal/exposici_permanent/vapor_i_naci/renaixen_a_civisme_i_nacionalisme?PHPSESSID= Renaixença, civisme i nacionalisme] on the site of the Museu d'Història de Catalunya. In Catalan.
* [http://www.xtec.es/~malons22/personal/renaixinici.htm|La Renaixença] . In Catalan.