Which poets were the chief practitioners of culteranismo and conceptismo?
In 17th-century Spanish literature, culteranismo and conceptismo emerged as two prominent, interrelated stylistic movements of the Baroque era.1
Culteranismo
Culteranismo sought to elevate language through re-Latinization, utilizing complex syntax, obscure mythological allusions, and hermetic vocabulary. Its chief practitioner and archpriest was Luis de Góngora y Argote, whose work in Soledades defined the style. Other notable figures included Luis Carrillo y Sotomayor, who helped elaborate the theory, and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, in whose work the style is also evident.12
Conceptismo
Conceptismo focused on the play of ideas, characterized by concise, aphoristic, and witty expression. Its primary exponents were:13
* Francisco Gómez de Quevedo y Villegas: A master satirist and the movement's greatest practitioner.13
* Baltasar Gracián: The movement's key theoretician, who codified its principles in Agudeza y arte de ingenio.13
While culteranismo is primarily associated with poetry, conceptismo found its most effective outlet in prose and satirical essays.13