Rafael Alberti, (1902-1999) is regarded as one of the major Spanish poets of the 20th century. His first two collections, A Sailor Ashore, and Whitewash and Song recall the sea and landscapes of his native region of Andalusia. Concerning the Angels (1929) represents a rupture from his earlier use of traditional form and is renowned for its Surrealist features. From the 1930s, Alberti’s work became overtly political. He fought for the Republic in the Spanish Civil War and afterward fled to Argentina. Subsequent collections include Between the Carnation and the Sword, From One Moment to Another, On Painting and High Tide. He lived in Italy after 1961, returning to Spain in 1977 after Franco’s death.
