Isidoro Máiquez and the Myth of the Modern Actor (1768-1820): Freedom Fighter, Spanish Model

Abstract

On the occasion of the Bicentennial of the Isidoro Máiquez’s death, which was fulfilled in March 2020, this paper intends to review one of the aspects that compose the polyhedral figure of the Spanish actor. Located his life between the Old Regime and the new bourgeois society that emerged after the French Revolution, he had to live changing times that profoundly affected the Spain of its time. Considered the first modern actor in the Spanish stage, which breaks up with tradition and studies with the best of the moment, Máiquez renovated the theater with new habits and customs, introducing new repertoires and forms of performance. But his figure transcended the stage and became a symbol for freedom fighters who, throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, were raised when circumstances required it. In this way, the myth of Máiquez grew and acquired a new role.