JUAN-EDUARDO CIRLOT

(1916-1973)

WITH deep and sincere grief this Instituto and its publication GLADIUS in the month of may received the sad tidings that our highly appreciated collaborator and friend had deceased, in an age of only 57 years.

Juan-Eduardo Cirlot Laporta was born in Barcelona in 1916, where he studied music and later on art, art criticism and symbolology. During

his short lifetime he was a busy investigator and author whose achieve- ments made him well known not only in Spain and in Hispano-America but even in many European countries. He left behind a multitud of works: scientific, art, prose and poetry, several of them issued in foreign languages. He had the luck to be a highly gifted person with many facets of his intellect. His special subjects were art and art criti- cism together with symbolology, a field in which he received much recog-

JUAN·EDUARDO CIRLOT

(1916-1973)

WITH deep and sincere grief this Instituto and its publication GLADIUS

in the month of may received the sad tidings that our highly appreciatedcollaborator and friend had deceased, in an age of only 57 years.

Juan-Eduardo Cidot Laporta was born in Barcelona in 1916, wherehe studied music and later on art, art criticism and symbolology. During

his short lifetime he was a busy investigator and author whose achieve­ments made him well known not only in Spain and in Hispano-Americabut even in many European countries. He left behind a multitudof works: scientific, art, prose and poetry, several of them issued inforeign languages. He had the luck to be a highly gifted person withmany facets of his intellect. His special subjects were art and art criti­cism together with symbolology, a field in which he received much recog-

5

ObituarioGladius, X (1972), pp. 5-7 ISSN 0435-029X

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nition among leading personalities in Europe. He was considered one of the most suDreme art criticals in S~a in . Though he was a connoisseur in regard to art and its symbolisms from ~rehiltoric time through the ages up to modern time, he had specialized in the art of 20th century. Numerous are his books dealing with contemporary art, architecture as well as sculpture and painting. He was a fine connoisseur of surrealistic art. More than anvone else he contributed to s ~ r e a d knowledge about the " different tendencies in modern art, from cubism to op-art, and his books about ctisms)> were issued in several editions. His last work before he died was a book about Picasso: El arte del siglo X X . Picasso, el nacimien- to de un genio. But his knowledge covered a wide field. His book: El espiritu abstract0 desde la Prehistoria a la Edad Media (Barcelona 1965 and 1969), and the other book: La pintura go'tica europea (Barce- lona 1969), achieved a wide distribution and acknowledgment and they are of interest even to arms students. His works about symbolism, and not least his great: Diccionario de simbolos, issued in several editions in Barcelona and London, are important. Among his many interests he comprised that about ancient weapons with great affection. In this field his knowledge was considerable. He was a collector and connoisseur of ancient weabons and he knew the important European museums and collections well. He considered the archaeology of weapons of impor- tance, and he had an eye for the great outlines in their development not only through the ages but even in the various civilizations and their mutual influences. His own collections were based on s~ecial minci~les and created from his particular point of view. He contemplated the weapons, their origin, development, decoration and use as well as their placing in the history of civilization from new and often remarkable sides, which opened wider horizons and new aspects, frequently differing from current points of view. His immense knowledge and particular sense of perception in regard to history of civilization and art caused that he frequently contemplated them in special perspectives, not least with ref- erence to their symbolic significances.

Several articles about medieval swords and renaissance rapiers were published by him already many years ago in various reviews, such as e.g. the beautiful Spanish art review <(Goyan. His interests in ancient weapons led to a close friendship with the Instituto and its publication. He became a highly appreciated collaborator in GLADIUS since 1964, when this review for the first time published an article of his about the historical sword for ceremonies in the Cathedral of Barcelona. Most of the volumes of GLADIUS contain articles by him, and we are proud to be able to publish the last article he wrote about arms, in the present vol- ume X. He will be highly missed in the future.

mtlOn among leading personalities in Europe. He was considered oneof the most supreme art criticals in Spain. Though he was a connoisseurin regard to art and its symbolisms from Prehistoric time through theages up to modern time, he had specialized in the art of 20th century.Numerous are his books dealing with contemporary art, architecture aswell as sculpture and painting. He was a fine connoisseur of surrealisticart. More than anyone else he contributed to spread knowledge about thedifferent tendencies in modern art, from cubism to op-art, and his booksabout «isms» were issued in several editions. His last work before hedied was a book about Picasso: El arte del siglo xx. Picasso, el nacimien­to de un genio. But his knowledge covered a wide field. His book:El espiritu abstracto desde la Prehistoria a la Edad Media (Barcelona1965 and 1969), and the other book: La pi11lura g6tica europea (Barce­lona 1969), achieved a wide distribution and acknowledgment and theyare of interest even to arms students. His works about symbolism, andnot least his great: Diccionario de simbolos, issued in several editions inBarcelona and London, are important. Among his many interests hecomprised that about ancient weapons with great affection. In this fieldhis knowledge was considerable. He was a collector and connoisseur ofancient weapons and he knew the important European museums andcollections well. He considered the archaeology of weapons of impor­tance, and he had an eye for the great outlines in their development notonly through the ages but even in the various civilizations and theirmutual influences. His own collections were based on special principlesand created from his particular point of view. He contemplated theweapons, their origin, development, decoration and use as well as theirplacing in the history of civilization from new and often remarkable sides,which opened wider horizons and new aspects, frequently differing fromcurrent points of view. His immense knowledge and particular sense ofperception in regard to history of civilization and art caused that hefrequently contemplated them in special perspectives, not least with ref­erence to their symbolic significances.

Several articles about medieval swords and renaissance rapiers werepublished by him already many years ago in various reviews, such ase.g. the beautiful Spanish art review «Goya». His interests in ancientweapons led to a close friendship with the Instituto and its publication.He became a highly appreciated collaborator in GLADIUS since 1964,when this review for the first time published an article of his about thehistorical sword for ceremonies in the Cathedral of Barcelona. Most ofthe volumes of GLADIUS contain articles by him, and we are proud to beable to publish the last article he wrote about arms, in the present vol­ume X. He will be highly missed in the future.

6

ObituarioGladius, X (1972), pp. 5-7 ISSN 0435-029X

Digitalizado por InterClassica http://interclassica.um.es

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas http://gladius.revistas.csic.es

Above all Juan-Eduardo Cirlot was an outstanding poet, particular in regard to modern poetry. His poems, in their characteristic style, and in the shape of poetry and prose as well as his aphorisms made him famous in many countries, and a complete edition of his works through the years is about to be issued. In spite of his serious and painful sick- bed he almost to his last days was occupied with his works. But already a year ago he felt that he had only short time of life left. In September 1972 he wrote his own c(epitafio)>, dated September 28, 1972, and signed by him:

Yace lleno de sombra quien fue luz pasada La ribera del horror. Acaso esth en el reino del amor donde otra claridad no es otra cruz.

Above all Juan-Eduardo Cirlot was an outstanding poet, particularin regard to modern poetry. His poems, in their characteristic style,and in the shape of poetry and prose as well as his aphorisms made himfamous in many countries, and a complete edition of his works throughthe years is about to be issued. In spite of his serious and painful sick­bed he almost to his last days was occupied with his works. But alreadya year ago he felt that he had only short time of life left. In September1972 he wrote his own «epitafio», dated September 28, 1972, andsigned by him:

Yace lleno de sombraquien fue luzpasada la ribera del horror.Acaso es/a en el reino del amordonde o/ra claridad no es o/ra cruz.

7

ObituarioGladius, X (1972), pp. 5-7 ISSN 0435-029X

Digitalizado por InterClassica http://interclassica.um.es

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas http://gladius.revistas.csic.es