Alcázar, Baltasar del

ALCÁZAR, BALTASAR del. - Satirical poet, b. in Seville in 1530, d. in Ronda in 1606. In his youth he served on the galleys of the Marquis of S. Cruz; having left arms, he held political and administrative offices, but his preferred occupation was that of letters. Trained on the Latin and Italian classics, he was led by his own nature above all to a poetry of epigrammatic content, of satirical and playful tone, so much so that he can be defined as the Sevillian Martial; and Martial was in fact among his dearest and most imitated poets, although he generally softens his tone and almost renders it burlesque.

Among his most successful compositions in this genre are cited the Cena jocosa and the Modo de vivir en la vejez. A Petrarchist, and a representative, together with other men of letters who were part of the circle gathered around Count don Alvaro Colón y Portugal and his wife Eleonora of Milan, of the Italianizing Sevillian school, he also cultivated amatory poetry with felicity of inspiration and expression. Also worthy of particular mention are certain moving religious lyrics, such as the sonnet to Jesus and the Closa a un Crucifijo.

Ruggero M. Ruggieri