Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Jules Supervielle

Role / Field:

Franco-Uruguayan poet and writer, known for his lyrical verse and enduring literary influence.

Born:

1884-01-16

Died:

1960-05-17

Century / Era:

1884s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Jules Supervielle (16 January 1884 – 17 May 1960) was a Franco-Uruguayan poet and writer born in Montevideo. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature three times. He opposed the surrealism movement in poetry and rejected automatic writing, although he did adopt other techniques of modern poetry. In so doing he anticipated the literary movements of the late 1940s, including the work of such authors as René Char, Henri Michaux, Saint-John Perse or Francis Ponge.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Amongst his admirers are René-Guy Cadou, Alain Bosquet, Lionel Ray, Claude Roy, Philippe Jaccottet and Jacques Réda. Supervielle was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, to a family in charge of a bank; his father was from Béarn and his mother of Basque origin. His parents both died before he was a year old, during a family visit to France, and he was raised first by his grandmother and later, on returning to Uruguay, by his aunt and uncle. He began writing fables at age nine. In 1894 he moved to Paris with his aunt and uncle, and published a collection of poems entitled Brumes du passé in 1901.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He married Pilar Saavedra in Montevideo in 1906; the two had six children. In 1910 Supervielle submitted...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• 1884 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1884
• January 16 (01-16) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 16
• 1960 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1960
• May 17 (05-17) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on May 17

Frequently Asked Questions about Jules Supervielle