Pablo Neruda: The Architect and His Houses, Thirty Years Later

By Consuela Miranda, Anglatin Ltd.

If, Pablo Neruda rose from the dead and drifted through his Isla Negra or Valparaiso houses, without doubt, he would not feel much difference between being dead or alive.  The thirtieth anniversary of his death (1904-1973) was commemorated at his Isla Negra house last September 23. The house was alive with lectures, speeches and honors, blending with waves crashing on the rocks and wind whistling its happiness and sadness, the same sounds experienced by centuries of mariners and poets of the sea.

Pablo Neruda, Nobel Prize winner in Literature (1971), was not only an architect of words he was a lover of construction, public works and originality in design. Thus, if he came back we would see him drifting through his properties, checking the construction details, noting required repairs, and arranging his artifacts and objects: the mastheads decked with maritime flags, his favorite bow stem figurine (appearing in many photos of Pablo), miniature boats, and colored bottles. These and hundreds of other memories of his diplomatic life, exile, and above all, his travels, are reflected in his poems “Navegaciones y Regresos” published in 1959.

Upon entering his house at Isla Negra, pause a moment and salute Maria Celeste.  His smallest bow stem figurine is suspended from the second floor balcony. With Maria Celeste, Pablo kept a mute dialogue, stories made of secrecy and memories of a time long gone. She is his eyewitness: she knows his weaknesses, obsessions and dreams.

These special artifacts and art objects were brought by Pablo from far away lands, dark seas, and cities with strange names such as Rangoon, Colombo, Batavia, Singapore, and Indochina, where Pablo served as Chile’s General Consul. Later travels included Spain, France, the Soviet Union, Mexico, Cuba, New York: any place where his political ideas and poems were appreciated and published.

The house at Isla Negra was acquired by Pablo in 1939. He needed a place to finish his greatest poetic work and for this he chose an isolated spot on Chile’s rugged coast. The original owner, a Spanish socialist, was an old navy captain, and had left the house unfinished. Pablo designed and finished the house to his own liking. With his architectural skills, time and ingenuity, the house acquired its contorted museum-like character that we enjoy today.

According to his memoirs, “Confieso que he vivido. Memorias”, Pablo invented the name “Catalao” upon parting from Chiloe. In his book of prose, “El Habitante y su Esperanza”, he named his house Catalao: “Ahora bien, mi casa que es la ultima en Catalao”. Pablo dreamed of bringing together at Isla Negra a group of poets to share an abundant table and comradely. Thus, the name Catalao. Unfortunately, this project never saw the light of day.

Following Chile’s military coup, All of Pablo’s houses were closed. Matilde Urrutia, who later changed her name to Matilde Neruda, collected for care taking, all of Pablo’s artifacts, art objects and other materials. Upon Matilde’s death in 1985, the entire collection was passed to the Pablo Neruda Foundation. This foundation now administers all of Pablo’s properties as well as collections purchased during his lifetime.

The foundation has instituted a Pablo Neruda prize for Chilean poetry, conducts workshops for young poets, and administers as tourist attractions, his houses in Isla Negra, Santiago (La Chascona) and in Valparaiso (La Sebastiana).

Today, Neruda would be able to see hundreds of foreign and Chilean guests visiting his houses. The visitors come to greet the poet and his wife. The remains of Neruda and Matilde Urrutia welcome guests at the Isla Negra property, just as they did to their many friends, collaborators and visitors of the past.  Also, he would see many guests returning to Valparaiso, looking for the ghost of the past and the magic of the port.

Valparaiso! If, Pablo Neruda would be able to return, he would come back to the steep hills and funiculars, narrow alleys climbing the Bellavista hill, where “La Sebastiana” is located.  “Yo Construí la casa...” Pablo tells us in his poem dedicated to La Sebastiana.

This is a house of a true collector and lover of the sea. Begun in 1959, it was not inhabited by Pablo until 1962. Its walls preserve collections of paintings with maritime motifs. The spectacular view from high on Bellavista is a living painting. His clock collection preserves time beyond time, where the poet encountered the infinite blue of the sea entering the house, and where we can still travel with him.