Antonio Machado, the poet of the blue days who was born 150 years ago

On this day, July 26, in 1875, Antonio Machado Ruiz was born next to a "Sevillian patio and a bright orchard where the lemon tree ripens." That memory of the Palacio de las Dueñas would forever mark the vicissitudes of a poet who ended his life in exile in Collioure, a small French port town where, already ill and disillusioned with the world, he would recall those happy, blue days of the past. Given the great importance of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of this universal Sevillian, ABC has contacted Antonio Rodríguez Almodóvar and Juan Lamillar , two of the leading experts on the author of 'Campos de Castilla' .

Rodríguez Almodóvar is curating an exhibition, 'Seville and Antonio Machado. 150th Anniversary of the Poet's Birth (1875-2025)' , in which the Unicaja Foundation delves into the relationship and influence of Seville on the poet's life and work through writings and documents belonging to the institution's Machado legacy. This exhibition—which can be seen at Unicaja's headquarters in Seville until October 31—traces various historical events in the poet's life, including his birth, early childhood, and his four-year stay at the Palacio de las Dueñas, among others.

Asked about his main virtues as a poet, the author of 'Cuentos de la media lunita' points out that " Machado renews all Spanish poetics because he introduces the poetry of the you, in contrast to a long solipsist and essentialist tradition . ('Not your truth, the truth / and come with me to find it. / Keep yours for yourself.' 'In my solitude I have seen very clear things, that are not true.') Hence solidarity as a value, in all aspects of life," he adds.

Regarding this same subject, Juan Lamillar believes that Machado's main virtue as a poet is " a depth that ranges from early symbolism to the philosophical poems of his later period , expressed in a sober language of great communicative effectiveness. Also the very exact and concise idea that poetry is 'word in time'."

Another fundamental aspect of Machado's work is that his evolution as a poet was very consistent with his own personal evolution. In this regard, Rodríguez Almodóvar points out that "in Machado, the current confusion between the person and the character does not exist. His human coherence, his moral integrity, goes hand in hand with his poetics . It seems as if he followed to the letter the recommendation of the 'Moral Epistle to Fabio': 'Equalize your life with your thoughts.' "

The Sevillian poet comments that "behind the symbolism of 'Soledades', biographical events bring him into contact with Castile, and his experiences and reflections on the country's reality give rise to his best-known book, 'Campos de Castilla', essential in 20th-century Spanish poetry . In later life, his interest in philosophy led him to those sententious songs, to heteronyms and apocryphal works."

As for what should be done to make poets like Machado more widely known in schools, Rodríguez Almodóvar emphasizes that they should be " learned and recited aloud . A custom that has been lost with so much postmodern pedagogy." Lamillar maintains that we should " recover the balance between language (now triumphant) and literature in the subject of the same name . Encourage reading: knowledge and enjoyment."

Antonio Rodríguez Almodóvar asserts that it is "very difficult to choose" one work by Antonio Machado as a favorite. "But it's somewhere between 'Campos de Castilla' and 'Juan de Mairena' , as far as I'm concerned. The former because it remains his most complete collection of poems; the latter because it presents us with a philosopher and dialectician Machado, who is still not sufficiently appreciated." Juan Lamillar resorts to a "small reading trick" when choosing his 'Complete Poems', but if he had to choose some among others, he would highlight "'Campos de Castilla', the 'Nuevas canciones', and the 'Cancionero apócrifo'. Without forgetting that lucid and unique book that is 'Juan de Mairena'."

Regarding any interesting publications that have emerged in recent years and that have provided new information about the poet, Rodríguez Almodóvar highlights 'The Goddess of Reason' , "the last work that the two brothers wrote on the brink of the Civil War, which we were able to rescue in 2021 from the Machado collection of the Unicaja Foundation, not without very laborious work." For his part, Lamillar praises the catalogue for the exhibition 'The Machados. Family Portrait' , because "it is an essential publication in bringing the two brothers up to date and the importance of their ancestors."

—If men like Antonio Machado were alive today, do you think the country would be less polarized than it is?

"I'm not sure about that, because this is a Cainite country, where the weeds of hatred and fanaticism flare up every so often. But Machado would undoubtedly have tried , putting his penchant for dialogue to work; something he wasn't allowed to do during the darkest period in Spain's history," says Antonio Rodríguez Almodóvar.

—During Machado's time, his significant presence in poetry and as a public figurehead of republican commitments didn't prevent the extreme polarization that was the Civil War. I fear it would be the same today, although he would dedicate himself to distinguishing the voices from the echoes (and the screams) —adds Juan Lamillar.

Regarding the significance of the exhibition 'The Machados. Family Portrait', organized by the Royal Sevillian Academy of Fine Arts and the Unicaja Foundation, Rodríguez Almodóvar says that " it has marked an important milestone in the reinterpretation of the Machados , with special emphasis on a whole family of intellectuals of a liberal-enlightened nature; that of the Machado men and women. At the Unicaja Foundation , we insist on vindicating the women of that extended family ."

For his part, the author of 'The Secret Hour' states that the exhibition "was very well planned and had a very attractive exhibition context: photographs, documents, editions, personal objects..." He also adds that "although there had already been some interesting exhibitions at the Unicaja Foundation, mainly with documents and manuscripts, this one has given a more complete portrait of Manuel and Antonio and has been a great success with the public ."

When both writers were asked whether this exhibition has finally eliminated all the myths that pitted the two brothers against each other within the context of the two Spains, Rodríguez Almodóvar comments that " that myth was greatly forced by historical circumstances and, fortunately, it is fading away . Never, in life, were the Machados opposed to anything. Much less so in politics; both were staunchly republicans, and, if possible, Manuel a little more to the left. Until the war. Literary quality is another matter. Antonio is a great universal poet; Manuel, a good modernist poet." For his part, Juan Lamillar says that "in reality, this supposed confrontation was maintained artificially for political reasons , and in the wake of 'committed' poems written during the war (and Manuel in the postwar period). If Manuel had not missed the last train leaving Burgos during the days of the Uprising, this 'confrontation' would not have occurred. The mutual fraternal affection and literary appreciation are demonstrated ," he concludes.