The Basque poets during the Second Republic: José María Agirre, ‘Xabier Lizardi’, and Esteban Urkiaga, ‘Lauaxeta’, in their artistic context1

Abstract

This article aims to follow the trail of some of the influences in the poetic works of José María Agirre, ‘Lizardi’ (1896–1933), and Esteban Urkiaga, ‘Lauaxeta’ (1905–37), both of whom are clearly connected to Symbolism through Spanish Modernism. They are considered the modernizers of Basque poetry and are the most frequently cited examples as paradigms of the Republican era. To this end, a double perspective will be followed. In the case of Lizardi, his literary affiliations will be addressed, relating him to Juan Ramón Jiménez (1881–1958) and José Ortega y Gasset (1883–1955). In order to approach the work of Lauaxeta, we will suggest a number of similarities to the poetry of Federico García Lorca (1898–1936), and to the music of Jesús Guridi (1886–1961) and his zarzuela, El Caserío (1926). We will also establish links between his work and some Impressionist and Symbolist painters, such as Darío Regoyos (1857–1913), Valentín de Zubiaurre (1879–1963) and Aurelio Arteta (1879–1940).