Description
ZENOBIA CAMPRUBI AND OLGA BAUER
Book Summary
This volume uncovers the deep friendship between Zenobia Camprubí and Olga Bauer through their correspondence, an epistolary dialogue spanning decades and two continents. The work reveals the social and intellectual commitment of two modern, refined women whose relationship was forged in 1930s Madrid and remained steadfast after exile. The reader will find an intimate and unknown portrait of Zenobia, including her work at the Ínsula bookstore, and a fresco of the era featuring figures such as Irene Lewisohn or Ania Dorfmann.
What is it about?
The friendship between Zenobia Camprubí and Olga Gunzburg begins when the latter settles in Madrid following her marriage to Ignacio Bauer. The historical events of 1936 radically transform their lives, leading them to different parts of America and Europe. The correspondence they maintain becomes an essential testimony to understanding their personal and intellectual trajectories. Through these letters, the reader discovers two sensitive, refined, and modern women with a profound social commitment. The work also reveals the support both provided to the Ínsula bookstore in its early years, an unknown facet of Zenobia until the publication of this collection of letters. In its pages, Zenobia and Olga cross paths with other fascinating figures of the time, such as Irene Lewisohn, Gisela Ephrussi, Ania Dorfmann, and Arnold Weissberger, as well as the leading intellectuals of the moment.
Main Themes
- Female friendship and intellectual networks in exile
- Correspondence as a historical and biographical source
- Social and cultural commitment of women in the 20th century
- Life and work of Zenobia Camprubí beyond her role as the wife of Juan Ramón Jiménez
- History of the Ínsula bookstore and its intellectual circle
- Spanish diaspora after the Civil War and its impact on life trajectories
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at researchers and readers interested in 20th-century Spanish literature, women's history, biographical and epistolary studies, as well as those wishing to understand the figure of Zenobia Camprubí and the cultural context of the Republican exile in depth. It will also be of great interest to specialists in the work of Juan Ramón Jiménez and enthusiasts of the social and intellectual history of contemporary Spain.
What this book contributes
- An unpublished portrait of the intellectual and social facet of Zenobia Camprubí, including her work at the Ínsula bookstore.
- First-hand epistolary documentation that reconstructs a key female friendship in exile.
- A detailed vision of both women's circle of relationships, featuring relevant figures of international culture and philanthropy.
- Valuable archival material for understanding the networks of solidarity and cultural patronage in the Spanish diaspora.
Technical Specifications
- Author: MORALES CANO, CARLOS
- Publisher: University of Huelva
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: LITERATURE: HISTORY AND CRITICISM, LITERARY STUDIES: POETRY AND POETS
- Collection: BIBLIOTECA DE ESTUDIOS JUANRAMONIANOS
- Binding: Paperback
- Number of pages: 850
- Weight: 2774 g
Editorial Review
This work constitutes a relevant contribution to Juanramonian studies and the intellectual history of the Spanish exile. The edition of the correspondence, edited by Carlos Morales Cano, offers rigorous and well-contextualized material that allows one to appreciate the personality and commitment of two exceptional women. The volume will be of great value to specialists and any reader interested in female networks of patronage and cultural creation during the 20th century.