Origins & Early Life

César Abraham Vallejo Mendoza (Spanish: [ˈsesaɾ βaˈʝexo]; March 16, 1892 – April 15, 1938) was a Peruvian poet, writer, playwright, and journalist. Although he published only two books of poetry during his lifetime, he is considered one of the great poetic innovators of the 20th century in any language. Thomas Merton called him "the greatest universal poet since Dante". The late British poet, critic and biographer Martin Seymour-Smith, a leading authority on world literature, called Vallejo "the greatest twentieth-century poet in any language." He was a member of the intellectual community called North Group formed in the Peruvian north coastal city of Trujillo.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Clayton Eshleman and José Rubia Barcia's translation of The Complete Posthumous Poetry of César Vallejo won the National Book Award for translation in 1979. Some of his poems have been set to music by the Indonesian composer and pianist Ananda Sukarlan, premiered by the Peruvian baritone Rudi-Fernandez Cardenas with the composer himself on the piano, and have since entered the repertoire of vocal music for baritone and piano. César Vallejo was born to Francisco de Paula Vallejo Benítez and María de los Santos...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Akira Mutō — Contemporary (Born in 1892) (1892): Imperial Japanese Army General implicated in war crimes during WWII.
• Alexander Alekhine — Contemporary (Born in 1892) (1892): A celebrated Russian-French chess master and four-time World Champion.
• Alexander Cartwright — Contemporary (Died in 1892) (1892): Founding member of the Knickerbockers and developer of early baseball rules.
• Ahn Chang Ho — Contemporary (Died in 1938) (1938): Pioneering Korean independence activist and leader of the Korean-American community.
• Alan Bond — Contemporary (Born in 1938) (1938): Australian businessman known for high-profile dealings, the America's Cup, and founding Bond University.
• Albert Fert — Contemporary (Born in 1938) (1938): Pioneering physicist known for the discovery of giant magnetoresistance.
• Antoine-Jean Gros — Shared historical date (03-16 · Born) (1771): Master French painter known for dramatic historical and portraiture works.
• Aron Nimzowitsch — Shared historical date (03-16 · Died) (1935): Pioneering chess theorist and Danish master, known for the hypermodern school.
• A. Philip Randolph — Shared historical date (04-15 · Born) (1889): Pioneer labor unionist and civil rights activist who fought for racial equality.
• Abraham Lincoln — Shared historical date (04-15 · Died) (1865): 16th President of the United States; guided the nation through the Civil War.
• 1892 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1892
• March 16 (03-16) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on March 16
• 1938 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1938
• April 15 (04-15) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on April 15