A German Romantic in Spain
Johann Nikolas Böhl von Faber (1770-1836), a merchant and man of letters from Hamburg, was a Hispanist and Germanist at a time when the balance of ideological dominance was shifting from Enlightenment thought towards the new Romantic aesthetic. This book outlines and evaluates his considerable contribution to the development of European Romanticism, particularly in relation to his central role in the transnational transfer of German Romantic theory to Spain.
By tracing the process by which this takes place the author demonstrates that Böhl’s work is crucial for a complete understanding of European romanticism. Previous studies have focussed on his work almost exclusively from a Hispanist perspective whereas this book provides a comprehensive analysis of Böhl’s life and work in its entirety. It provides an assessment of Böhl as a mediator between cultures, establishing his importance as a pivotal figure in the development of European letters in the nineteenth century and beyond.
Dr. Carol Tully is a Lecturer in the German Department at Bangor University.