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History Jul 9, 2019

Doctors and literature

Dr. Rafael Garza Cantú was outstanding for his literary and historiographical contributions in Nuevo León

An important book that integrates our reserve fund of the Historic Hall is “Some notes on the letters and culture of Nuevo León”, a fundamental work to understand the cultural and humanistic development of Monterrey during the century from 1810 to 1910.

Written by doctor Rafael Garza Cantú (Abasolo NL, 1864 - Mexico City 1912), who graduated from the Monterrey School of Medicine on November 22, 1887. Belonging to the generation that grew up around positivism and liberal politics oligarchic, who was a professor of literature and history at the Civil College and the Normal School. Outstanding speaker writer who had to give two speeches in 1892 to commemorate the IV Centenary of the Discovery of America, and the reception given to General Diaz during his visit to the city in December 1898.

He was given a space to spread about Nuevo Leon letters and culture, in La Gaceta Constitucional de Nuevo León, which was the first newspaper published in the state. He collaborated in the newspaper El Emprendedor, founded in 1892.

 The play "Some notes about the letters and culture of Nuevo León ” It is a pioneer in its theme, it is divided into three sections which are integrated into 62 large chapters. Start by addressing the precursors of Independence, highlighting the figure of Father Mier as an advocate for the independence of Anahuac and America, stops to refer to aspects of his extensive written work and, of course, as he will do with the other characters of Nuevo León, highlights the role played by his contemporaries, collects letters, brochures and articles alluding to the insurgent movement, highlighting the first newspapers that were published in our entity.

Gonzalitos will be another character to whom he devoted almost a third of his book, where he recreates his biography, written work, speeches and also emphasizes the role played by his fellow men and his disciples in politics and culture. It concludes with a broad reference to writers and publicists after 1890, to the first women who stand out in the letters and to the young writers who began to discolor as Alfonso Reyes.

He confesses that the work was done on the run, in just over a year, the most serious being the absence of bibliographical references. The idea was to join the national commemorative project commanded by the Minister of Public Instruction, Mr. Justo Sierra, who produced two volumes entitled "Anthology of the Centennial."

A work that must be enjoyed and read calmly. In 1995 Conaculta and the State government made a facsimile impression, whose cover shows the watercolor “Landscape with flowers and fan” (1897) by Alfredo Ramos Martínez (1871-1946), a work that is part of the Pinacoteca de Nuevo León .


Museum Room "Dr. Ángel Óscar Ulloa Gregori"