Vicente Blasco Ibanez

Vicente Blasco Ibáñez (1867–1928) was a Spanish novelist, journalist and political activist, whose books enjoyed great international popularity, and some have been translated into Croatian and Serbian. His work is characterized by realism, strong social engagement and a penchant for dramatic, visually rich narratives.

The most famous translations in our region include The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Los cuatro jinetes del Apocalipsis), a novel about the First World War that made him famous throughout the world, then Blood and the Arena (Sangre y arena), a story about the life of a bullfighter and his inner struggles, as well as The Cathedral (La catedral), a work of strong social criticism. Mare Nostrum (Mare Nostrum), a spy-war novel set in the Mediterranean during the First World War, can also be found in translation. This novel was also extremely popular with the Croatian public thanks to its film adaptations and vivid plot.

Ibáñez was born in Valencia, where he became a prominent republican and founder of the newspaper El Pueblo at an early age. Imprisoned several times for political speeches, he remained a symbol of the fight against monarchical repression. His early novels — Arroz y tartana, Flor de mayo, La barraca, Entre naranjos — are thematically related to the life of the Levante, social conflicts and the suffering of the oppressed. Abroad, he gained his greatest fame with novels inspired by the First World War, among which "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" and "Mare Nostrum" occupy a central place.

In total, he wrote more than thirty novels, travelogues and essays, among which La horde, El intruso, El paraíso de las mujeres, La reina Calafia and extensive travelogue cycles stand out. Towards the end of his life, he lived in France and the USA, where he taught and wrote. His works are a combination of political passion, sharp realism and distinct narrative energy, making him one of the most translated and influential Spanish writers of his time.