Miguel de Cervantes Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 2 (1977) Winner
Alejo Carpentier y Valmont
アレホ・カルペンティエール
Alejo Carpentier y Valmont
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1904-12-26 （Lausanne, Switzerland）
- Died
- 1980-04-24 （Paris, France） age 75
- Nationality
- Cuban
- Languages
- Spanish, French
- Residence History
- Havana, Cuba → Paris, France → Caracas, Venezuela → Lausanne, Switzerland (birthplace)
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, essayist, musicologist, journalist, playwright, diplomat (ambassador)
- Active Years
- 1921-1980
- Influenced By
- Miguel Ángel Asturias, Pablo Neruda, Robert Desnos (connection to Surrealism), Amadeo Roldán (musical collaborator)
- Influenced
- Lisandro Otero, Leonardo Padura, Fernando Velázquez Medina, Gabriel García Márquez (literary influence)
- Nominations
- Nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature (first nomination 1965; perennial contender)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Havana, School of Architecture (attended) | — | Architecture | — | 1921–1922（中退） | Cuba |
University of Havana, School of Architecture (attended)
Architecture
Period:
1921–1922（中退）
Country:
Cuba
Left studies to pursue journalism and music; did not complete degree.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Miguel de Cervantes Prize | — | — | Spanish institutions (Cervantes Prize) | 受賞 |
| 1975 | Prix mondial Cino Del Duca | — | — | Prix mondial Cino Del Duca organization | 受賞 |
| 1979 | Prix Médicis (étranger) | La harpe et l'ombre (El arpa y la sombra) | 外国作品部門 | Prix Médicis | 受賞 |
Miguel de Cervantes Prize
1977
Organization:
Spanish institutions (Cervantes Prize)
Result:
受賞
Prix mondial Cino Del Duca
1975
Organization:
Prix mondial Cino Del Duca organization
Result:
受賞
Prix Médicis (étranger)
1979
Work:
La harpe et l'ombre (El arpa y la sombra)
Category:
外国作品部門
Organization:
Prix Médicis
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Prix Médicis
1 appearances
-
Edition 9 (1979) Winner
Works
Major Works
¡Écue-Yamba-O!
1933 Novel (early work)An early novel exploring Afro-Cuban traditions among the poor of the island.
Afro-Cuban cultureritual
The Kingdom of This World (El reino de este mundo)
1949 Historical novel / Lo real maravilloso (marvelous real)Set during the Haitian Revolution, it combines historical events, African faiths (vodou), and the marvelous aspects of Latin American history.
history and the marvelousAfro-Caribbean faithcolonialism and resistance
Translations
- Available in English translation
The Lost Steps (Los pasos perdidos)
1953 Journey novel / philosophical novelFollows a protagonist who leaves urban life for a South American wilderness, exploring civilization, primitivism, and self-discovery.
critique of civilizationjourney and renewal
The Chase (El acoso)
1956 Novel (compressed, experimental) 121 pagesA compressed, labyrinthine narrative about a man pursued by shadowy forces; musical motifs and fragmented structure characterize the work.
absurditypower and fearmusical rhythm
Translations
- English translation published 1989 (Alfred MacAdam)
Explosion in a Cathedral (El siglo de las luces)
1962 Historical novel / Baroque styleExamines Enlightenment ideas and the French Revolution's implications in the New World, using leitmotifs of the printing press and the guillotine.
light and shadow of revolutionEnlightenment thoughtintersection of history and narrative
The Harp and the Shadow (El arpa y la sombra)
1979 Historical novel / biographical elementsA historical novel reflecting on Christopher Columbus's life and legacy, structured around papal attempts to beatify Columbus and fictional confessions.
reconsideration of historyevaluation of colonialism
Bibliography
- ¡Écue-Yamba-O! (1933)
- The Kingdom of This World (1949)
- The Lost Steps (1953)
- The Chase (1956)
- Explosion in a Cathedral (1962)
- Concierto barroco (1974)
- The Harp and the Shadow (1979)
- La música en Cuba (1946, essay/ethnomusicology)
Translations of Works
- The Kingdom of This World translated into multiple languages (including English)
- The Chase translated into English (1989, Alfred MacAdam)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- New World BaroqueLo real maravilloso (marvelous real)Influence of Surrealismmusical and rhythmic prose
- Recurring Motifs
- musichistory and memoryrevolution and powerAfro-Caribbean culture
Health
-
cancer1970年代末（晩年）Struggled with cancer while completing his final novel; illness affected him in his final years but he continued working until his death in 1980.
Legacy
A major influence on Latin American literature, proposer of the New World Baroque and the notion of lo real maravilloso; integrated musicology into literary practice and received international recognition including the Cervantes Prize.
Museums
- École Française de la Havane "Alejo Carpentier" Havana, Cuba
Academic Societies
- Casa de las Américas (associated literary institution)
Archives
- Papers and materials held in Cuban national libraries and literary archives
In Popular Culture
- Referenced widely in Latin American cultural contexts (school names, academic conferences, literary discussions).
Quotes
-
But what is the history of Latin America but a chronicle of magical realism?
Source: Prologue to The Kingdom of This World (1949) -
Music is present in all of my work.
Source: Interview
Trivia
- For many years he was believed to have been born in Havana, but his birth certificate shows Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Arrested in 1927 for opposing Machado's regime; later escaped to France with help from Robert Desnos (who lent him papers).
- Served as Cuban ambassador to France in the 1960s.
- Received the Miguel de Cervantes Prize in 1977 and the Prix Médicis (étranger) in 1979.