Search site...

The Journey of Julio Cortazar

Julio Cortázar nació en Ixelles, Béligica, en 1914 y murió, un día como hoy pero de 1984, en París, Francia. Murió a los 69 años víctima de una leucemia. Fue uno de los escritores más aclamados de América Latina y uno de los mejores representantes de la literatura argentina en el mundo. Aún hoy sus textos gozan de una vitalidad atrapante y todo indica que seguirá siendo así durante mucho tiempo.

Vivió en muchos lugares. Además de breves estadías en Bélgica y Suiza, llegó a la Argentina, de donde sus padres provenían. Vivió en Banfield, luego se mudó a Buenos Aires, al barrio porteño de Agronomía. También en Bolívar y en Chivilcoy, ciudades de la provincia de Buenos Aires donde ejerció la docencia. Finalmente en 1951 llegó a París.

Su producción literaria es prolífica. Escribió obras muy famosas que trascendieron el circuito literario como Bestiario (1951), Fin del juego (1953), Rayuela (1963) y Todos los fuegos el fuego (1966). Sus restos descansan junto a los de su primera y tercera esposa en el cementerio de Mortparnasse.

1/22. Entrance to the building where Julio Cortazar lived between 1934 and 1937 and the place that inspired the short story 'House Taken Over' ('Casa Tomada' in Spanish - 1947) on Agronomia neighborhood on January 18, 2020, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Son of Argentine citizens, the famous writer Julio Florencio Cortázar was born in Brussels, Belgium, in 1914. After a short stay in Switzerland, he spent his childhood in Banfield, a suburb of Buenos Aires, Argentina. After that, he moved to the neighborhood of Agronomia, in Buenos Aires City. As a teacher, he worked in the cities of Bolivar (300 km from Buenos Aires) and Chivilvoy (160 km). In 1951 he arrived in Paris, where he died in 1984. Within his prolific literary production, the most famous and prestigious works are Bestiario (1951), End of The Game (1953), Rayuela (1963)and All Fires The Fire (1966).
2/22. A letterbox is used for a free exchange of books at the square in front of Julio Cortazar's building in Agronomia neighborhood. ©2020
3/22. Entrance to the building where Julio Cortazar lived between 1934 and 1937 and the place that inspired the short story 'House Taken Over' ('Casa Tomada' in Spanish - 1947) on Agronomia neighborhood on January 18, 2020, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
4/22. Doorbells at the entrance of Julio Cortazar's building on Agronomia neighborhood where lived from 1934 to 1937 on 3rd floor, apartment 7.
5/22. The window on the 3rd floor where writer Julio Cortazar lived from 1934 to 1937, the place inspired the short story 'House Taken Over' ('Casa Tomada' in Spanish - 1947).
6/22. Cats, called "guardians of the sidewalk" by Julio Cortazar, roam the deserted streets of Agronomia neighborhood.
7/22. A letterbox is used for a free exchange of books at the square in front of Julio Cortazar's building in Agronomia neighborhood.
8/22. A painting with the face of Julio Cortazar at the Cortazar Café bar in Palermo neighborhood.
9/22. A pictures of Julio Cortazar is seen on a shelve at the bar Cortazar Café devoted to the writer Julio Cortazar in Palermo neighborhood.
10/22. A detail in the bar Cortazar Café devoted to the writer Julio Cortazar in Palermo neighborhood.
11/22. A view of a commercial space dedicated to jazz, currently closed, reminds Julio Cortázar's passion for the jazz universe, where he confessed as 'a frustrated musician' but inspired his story The Persecutor (El Perseguidor in Spanish - 1959).
12/22. Argentine coins over the remembrance plaque placed at the tomb where the remains of the writer Julio Cortázar (1914-1984), his third wife Carol Dunlop (1946-1982), and his first wife and literary keeper Aurora Bernardez (1920-2014) are buried at Montparnasse cemetery on September 29, 2016 in Paris, France.
13/22. Argentine coins over the remembrance plaque placed at the tomb where the remains of the writer Julio Cortázar (1914-1984), his third wife Carol Dunlop (1946-1982), and his first wife and literary keeper Aurora Bernardez (1920-2014) are buried at Montparnasse cemetery on September 29, 2016 in Paris, France.
14/22. Tourists climb the stairs to the lookout on top of the Galeria Guemes on January 30, 2020 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Galeria Güemes was frequently visited by the Argentine writer Julio Cortázar and inspired him in the story 'The Other Sky' takes place ('El Otro Cielo' in Spanish), from the book 'All The Fires the Fire' ('Todos Los Fuegos El Fuego' in Spanish). In the story the writer connected it to Galerie Vivienne of Paris. Cortázar was born in Brussels, Belgium, in 1914. After a short stay in Switzerland, he spent his childhood in Banfield, a suburb of Buenos Aires City. After that, he moved to the neighborhood of Agronomia, in Buenos Aires City. In 1951 he arrived in Paris, where he died in 1984. Among his prolific literary production, the most famous and prestigious works are Bestiario (1951), End of The Game (1953), Rayuela (1963) and All Fires The Fire (1966).
15/22. The security manager of the lookout (known as 'Topo') does Tai Chi exercises at the lookout of the Galeria Guemes.
16/22. The dome of the Galeria Guemes on January 30, 2020 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Galeria Güemes was frequently visited by the Argentine writer Julio Cortázar and inspired him in the story 'The Other Sky' takes place ('El Otro Cielo' in Spanish), from the book 'All The Fires the Fire' ('Todos Los Fuegos El Fuego' in Spanish). In the story the writer connected it to Galerie Vivienne of Paris. Cortázar was born in Brussels, Belgium, in 1914. After a short stay in Switzerland, he spent his childhood in Banfield, a suburb of Buenos Aires City. After that, he moved to the neighborhood of Agronomia, in Buenos Aires City. In 1951 he arrived in Paris, where he died in 1984. Among his prolific literary production, the most famous and prestigious works are Bestiario (1951), End of The Game (1953), Rayuela (1963) and All Fires The Fire (1966).
17/22. General view of Buenos Aires City at the lookout on top of the Galeria Guemes shopping.
18/22. An engraving with hopscotch design at the Argentine National Library square in reference to the Julio Cortazar's novel "Hopscotch" (in Spanish: "Rayuela" - 1963).
19/22. Flowers and letters near the tomb where the remains of the writer Julio Cortázar (1914-1984), his third wife Carol Dunlop (1946-1982), and his first wife and literary keeper Aurora Bernardez (1920-2014) ar buried at Montparnasse cemetery on September 29, 2016 in Paris, France.
20/22. Tomb where the remains of the writer Julio Cortázar (1914-1984), his third wife Carol Dunlop (1946-1982), and his first wife and literary keeper Aurora Bernardez (1920-2014) are buried at Montparnasse cemetery on September 29, 2016 in Paris, France.
21.22. A sculpture of writer Julio Cortazar seating at the London Bar, place who inspired the pages of his novel 'The Awards' ('Los Premios' in Spanish - 1960), on August 21, 2018, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
22/22. A sculpture of writer Julio Cortazar seating at the London Bar, place who inspired the pages of his novel 'The Awards' ('Los Premios' in Spanish - 1960), on August 21, 2018, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Son of Argentine citizens, the famous writer Julio Florencio Cortázar was born in Brussels, Belgium, in 1914. After a short stay in Switzerland, he spent his childhood in Banfield, a suburb of Buenos Aires, Argentina. After that, he moved to the neighborhood of Agronomia, in Buenos Aires City. As a teacher, he worked in the cities of Bolivar (300 km from Buenos Aires) and Chivilvoy (160 km). In 1951 he arrived in Paris, where he died in 1984. Within his prolific literary production, the most famous and prestigious works are Bestiario (1951), End of The Game (1953), Rayuela (1963) and All Fires The Fire (1966).