Antonieta Rivas Mercado
Encyclopedia
María Antonieta Rivas Mercado Castellanos (b. Mexico City
, April 28, 1900 - d. Paris
, February 11, 1931) was a Mexican
intellectual, writer, feminist and arts patron
.
and his wife Cristina Matilde Castellanos Haff. Around 1910, during the Mexican revolution
, her parents separated, and her mother moved together with Antonieta's older sister Alice to Paris, where they stayed until their return to Mexico in 1915. Antonio Rivas Mercado refused to let his wife move back into the family's house, as a result of which Antonieta had to assume more responsibility at home. With her father's permission, at the age of 18, she married British-born, American-raised engineer Albert Edward Blair, and gave birth to their son Donald Antonio (Tonito) on September 9, 1919. (Tonito married the writer Kathryn Skidmore Blair in 1961.) During the time the young family lived in a ranch in the state of Durango, there were periods when Rivas Mercado sought separation from Blair, but the he did not consent, as a result of which she sometimes suffered from depression. She eventually travelled to Mexico City and tried to file for divorce, and to obtain a pension for her son. In 1927, her father died, and Antonieta became responsible for the care of her parents' house and her siblings. She financed and promoted cultural projects of considerable relevance; for example, she financed and became principally involved in the foundation of the Teatro Ulises
, that broke with commercial theater in the Mexico of the time. Thanks to her encouragment, literary lounges were formed, and the Orquesta Sinfónica of Mexico City was formed. It was said that knowing Antonieta Rivas Mercado helped open the cultural doors in Mexico.
Rivas Mercado wrote for the magazine Los Contemporáneos
and the Spanish periodical El Sol
. She fell hopelessly in love with her friend, the painter Manuel Rodríguez Lozano
, an affection that was not reciprocated. In 1929, she had an affair with the politician José Vasconcelos
, and later supported his electoral campaign. However, this love affair also proved to be fruitless, since Vasconcelos was married. In 1931, Rivas Mercado shot herself in Notre Dame de Paris
. In 1982, the story of her life was set to film in "Antonieta
," by Spanish director Carlos Saura
and will be set to a Mexican telenovela in "A la luz del ángel," by producer Carla Estrada.
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, April 28, 1900 - d. Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, February 11, 1931) was a Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
intellectual, writer, feminist and arts patron
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
.
Biography
Rivas Mercado was born as the second of four children(Alicia; Antonieta; Mario and Amelia) of the notable architect Antonio Rivas MercadoAntonio Rivas Mercado
Antonio Rivas Mercado was a Mexican architect, engineer and restorer. His most notable project was the design of the Independence Column in downtown Mexico City. He was father of Antonieta Rivas Mercado....
and his wife Cristina Matilde Castellanos Haff. Around 1910, during the Mexican revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
, her parents separated, and her mother moved together with Antonieta's older sister Alice to Paris, where they stayed until their return to Mexico in 1915. Antonio Rivas Mercado refused to let his wife move back into the family's house, as a result of which Antonieta had to assume more responsibility at home. With her father's permission, at the age of 18, she married British-born, American-raised engineer Albert Edward Blair, and gave birth to their son Donald Antonio (Tonito) on September 9, 1919. (Tonito married the writer Kathryn Skidmore Blair in 1961.) During the time the young family lived in a ranch in the state of Durango, there were periods when Rivas Mercado sought separation from Blair, but the he did not consent, as a result of which she sometimes suffered from depression. She eventually travelled to Mexico City and tried to file for divorce, and to obtain a pension for her son. In 1927, her father died, and Antonieta became responsible for the care of her parents' house and her siblings. She financed and promoted cultural projects of considerable relevance; for example, she financed and became principally involved in the foundation of the Teatro Ulises
Teatro Ulises
The Teatro Ulises was an experimental theater, located in the calle de Mesones 42 of Mexico City, that was established around 1927/1928 by Antonieta Rivas Mercado, daughter of the architect Antonio Rivas Mercado, and further members of the group Los Contemporáneos...
, that broke with commercial theater in the Mexico of the time. Thanks to her encouragment, literary lounges were formed, and the Orquesta Sinfónica of Mexico City was formed. It was said that knowing Antonieta Rivas Mercado helped open the cultural doors in Mexico.
Rivas Mercado wrote for the magazine Los Contemporáneos
Los Contemporáneos
Los Contemporáneos can refer to a Mexican modernist group, active in the late twenties and early thirties, as well as to the literary magazine which served as the group's mouthpiece and artistic vehicle from 1928 to 1931...
and the Spanish periodical El Sol
El Sol (Madrid)
El Sol was a Spanish newspaper printed in Madrid. It was founded the December 1, 1917 by Nicolás María de Urgoiti. Edited by Manuel Aznar Zubigaray, its writers included Julio Álvarez del Vayo and Ernesto Giménez Caballero....
. She fell hopelessly in love with her friend, the painter Manuel Rodríguez Lozano
Manuel Rodríguez Lozano
Manuel Rodríguez Lozano was a Mexican painter.- Biography :Rodríguez Lozano was born to Manuel Rodríguez and his wife Sara Lozano. He began a military education at the Heroico Colegio Militar, and started a diplomatic service career...
, an affection that was not reciprocated. In 1929, she had an affair with the politician José Vasconcelos
José Vasconcelos
José Vasconcelos Calderón was a Mexican writer, philosopher and politician. He is one of the most influential and controversial personalities in the development of modern Mexico. His philosophy of "indigenismo" affected all aspects of Mexican sociocultural, political, and economic...
, and later supported his electoral campaign. However, this love affair also proved to be fruitless, since Vasconcelos was married. In 1931, Rivas Mercado shot herself in Notre Dame de Paris
Notre Dame de Paris
Notre Dame de Paris , also known as Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic, Roman Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris: that is, it is the church that contains the cathedra of...
. In 1982, the story of her life was set to film in "Antonieta
Antonieta
Antonieta is a 1982 film by Spanish director Carlos Saura, starring Isabelle Adjani and Hanna Schygulla. The film, a Mexican-Spanish French co production, was based on a novel by Andrés Henestrosa...
," by Spanish director Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura Atarés is a Spanish film director and photographer.-Early life:Born into a family of artists , he developed his artistic sense in childhood as a photography enthusiast.He obtained his directing diploma in Madrid in 1957 at the Institute of Cinema Research and Studies...
and will be set to a Mexican telenovela in "A la luz del ángel," by producer Carla Estrada.
Further reading
- Fabienne Bradu: Antonieta (1900-1931) (Spanish), 1991 ISBN 9681635930