The Life and Poetic Legacy of Antonio Machado

Antonio Machado was born on July 26, 1875. He was the second of five siblings. While his father was a scholar of folklore, his grandfather was a professor of natural sciences at the University of Seville and was, therefore, responsible for maintaining the whole family.

Early Life and Education in Madrid

In 1883, he moved to Madrid because his grandfather obtained a chair at the Central University of that city. He studied at the Institución Libre de Enseñanza (the Institution Free of Teaching), where Julián Sanz del Río, a philosopher with liberal and progressive ideas in education, instilled values that Antonio assumed and reflected in his works.

In Madrid, he stayed until 1887, and in 1889, he began his high school studies, finishing in 1899 at the age of 26. Machado was part of the literary circles and the bohemian life in Madrid, working for various magazines. He got in touch with Modernism and met Rubén Darío, whom he always admired. In 1903, he published his first book, Solitudes (Soledades).

Teaching Career and Life in Soria

Finally, he sat for examinations for a professorship, and in 1907, he was assigned to Soria. There, he expanded his book, which changed its title to Solitudes, Galleries, and Other Poems. In Soria, he met Leonor Izquierdo (then 15 years old), with whom he fell in love despite the age difference and eventually married.

However, shortly after the conclusion of the marriage (1912), Leonor fell ill and died of tuberculosis. Shortly before that happened, Campos de Castilla was published. Antonio was deeply saddened and decided to leave Soria. He was assigned to Jaén, where he again encountered his homeland, Andalusia; however, due to his sadness, he described his land as boring.

Move to Segovia and Late Works

In 1919, he moved to Segovia and, because of the cultural environment, felt more comfortable. He began writing book reviews and essays, moving slightly away from poetry. In 1924, he published New Songs (Nuevas canciones). He found a lover, Pilar de Valderrama, who was married, but their relationship was later disrupted by the Spanish Civil War. She became the muse of his later works, such as those dedicated to Guiomar.

Final Years and Exile

He remained in Segovia until 1932, the year in which he left to go to Madrid. That year, he published The War, a book of poems and prose. Falling ill, he moved to Barcelona and from there went into exile in January 1939 with his mother to France. He reached Collioure and died on February 22. This city is where his remains are preserved.