| Fernando Paz Castillo | |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 April 1893 Caracas, Venezuela |
| Died | 30 July 1981 (aged 88) Caracas, Venezuela |
Fernando Paz Castillo Aristiguieta (Caracas, 11 April 1893 - Caracas, 30 July 1981), was a venezuelan poet, literary critic, diplomat, educator and founder member of the Bellas Artes Circle.
Son of Ignacio Paz Castillo and Luisa Aristiguieta, in the library of his parents begins his formation in the acknowladge of literature. Made secondary education at the French school of Caracas, beginning an intimate friendship with poets, Enrique Planchart and Luis Enrique Mármol. In 1910 joined the Faculty of Law at the Central University of Venezuela, but two years later, before the close of the institution by the government, abandon definitely the career. Paz Castillo starts as poet in the Cultura (Culture) magazine (1912), which is co-founder, being soon after that one of the founders of the Bellas Artes Circle. In 1914, resides in Los Teques, a village near Caracas, whose landscape surroundings by farms, have a great influence in his poetic work. In 1918 returns to Caracas, trying to publish his first poetry book, to be titled Canciones del convaleciente (Songs of convalescent), never edited.
Fernando Paz Castillo, is one of the leading representatives of the so-called generation of 1918, considered this generation as the starting point of the contemporary Venezuelan literature. From 1922 to 1936, was professor at the San Pablo institute and the Normal School, during those years suggested to his friend Romulo Gallegos, the central plot of the novel La Trepadora (1925), whose first edition is dedicated to him.
Between 1936 to 1959 works to Venezuela's foreign service: Spain (1936), France (1937), Argentina (1938), Brazil (1939), England (1940–1944), Mexico (1944), Belgium (1945–1948), Italy (1948), Ecuador (1949-1953/1958-1959), Canada (1953–1958). In 1959 retires of the diplomatic career, having permanent residence in Caracas. By this time works in newspapers and literary magazines, writing numerous prologues, publishing books of poetry and literary criticism, also enters as an individual number at the Venezuelan Academy of Language on 28 October 1965 and received the National Prize for Literature in 1967.
A poetry prize sponsored by the CELARG, and a school located in zone of La Dolorita in Petare, were named after him.