 |
Juan Rodolfo WilcockArgentine and Italian writer
Date of Birth: 17.04.1919
Country:  Argentina |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Literary Debut and Affiliations
- Engineering Career and Literary Endeavors
- Travels and Italian Connections
- Italian Life and Literary Flourishing
- Friendship and Citizenship
- Burial and Literary Legacy
Early Life and Education
Wilcock was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina to an English father and an Italian-Swiss mother. He studied engineering at the University of Buenos Aires, graduating in 1940.
Literary Debut and Affiliations
Wilcock made his literary debut with the poetry collection "Libro de poemas y canciones" (Book of Poems and Songs) in 1940, winning the Argentine Writers' Union and Municipal Prizes. He met Jorge Luis Borges, Adolfo Bioy Casares, and Silvina Ocampo in 1941, and his poems were included in their "Antología de la poesía argentina" (Anthology of Argentine Poetry).
Engineering Career and Literary Endeavors
Wilcock worked as an engineer on railway construction and reconstruction projects, while also publishing several literary magazines. He was a renowned translator of Franz Kafka.
Travels and Italian Connections
In 1951, Wilcock traveled to Europe with Silvina Ocampo and Adolfo Bioy Casares, visiting Italy for the first time. He lived in London from 1953 to 1954, working as a translator and critic.
Italian Life and Literary Flourishing
Wilcock relocated to Rome in 1955, teaching French and English literature. He wrote poetry, prose, drama, and essays in Italian, translating Borges' works and collaborating with Ocampo on the play "Traditori" (The Traitors).
Friendship and Citizenship
Wilcock became close friends with Italian writers Alberto Moravia, Elsa Morante, and Roberto Calasso. He applied for Italian citizenship in 1975, but was granted it posthumously.
Burial and Literary Legacy
Wilcock was buried in Rome's famed Protestant Cemetery near the gate of San Paolo. His works, characterized by elements of the grotesque and the fantastic, have been translated into English, French, German, and other languages.
