Josepa Massanés (Barcelona 1811–1887) was one of the most popular nineteenth-century women poets, writing in both Catalan and Spanish. Her early work was influenced by the Romanticism of her times although, after the 1850s, she turned to the Romantic revivalist movement of the Catalan "Renaixença" (Renaissance) and became actively engaged in the endeavour to recover and create Catalan language and culture. Her poetry in Catalan is collected in the posthumous volume (1908) entitled Poesies (Poetry).

Massanés' work cannot be seen apart from the fact that she speaks out on gender issues. Her decision to write and publish was unusual for a woman of her times and she reflects upon this while claiming her right to be a writer. This valiant stance led to a series of affiliations with other women who came later. Dolors Monserdà — who has vindicated the work and personality of Massanés in the Prologue to her work and has written her biography – is the next link in an increasingly strong and heterogeneous chain.



Web page: Daniel Pitarch for AELC.
Translation: Julie Wark.
Photographs: Biblioteca Museu Víctor Balaguer.