Alberto Blest Gana

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Alberto Blest Gana (1830; Santiago - 1920; Paris) was a Chilean novelist and diplomat, considered the father of Chilean novel.

He was the son of an Irishman, William Cunningham Blest, and of María de la Luz Gana López, from an aristocratic landowning family. He studied at the Military Academy and then for one year in France.

A liberal, Alberto Blest was named intendant of the province of Colchagua and starting 1866 he was Chilean diplomatic representative at Washington, London and Paris. Among his successes were the inclusion of Chile in the Postal Union and the purchase of armament for Chilean troops during the War of the Pacific. He also participated at border negotiations with Argentina, but with a less important role than his previous activities.

[edit] Literary work

His literary work - almost exclusively novels - followed the aesthetic ideals and themes of the European Realism, but with a conscious 'americanization' of themes, as a way of making the genre fit (and educational enough) to be read by a national audience. His writings were explicitly influenced by 19th century liberalism, but they are also an attempt to reconcile religious and moral ideals of his time.

Notable among his novels are "Martín Rivas" (published 1862, about the social rise of a poor, middle-class young man, which is considered the first Chilean novel), "El ideal de un Talavera" (1863), "Durante la Reconquista" (1879 historical novel of the period 1814-1817); "Los Trasplantados" (1906) and "El Loco Estero" (1909 with pleasant remembrances of childhood). His ability to describe characters and customs has been praised by critics now, as well as at the time of publishing. Despite his non-literary education, which can be blamed for his careless style and excess of gallicisms, his work is considered fundamental, in terms of their representation of the customs, morals and ideals of 19th century Chileans.