Alonso Jerónimo de Salas Barbadillo

Who was Alonso Jerónimo de Salas Barbadillo?

Alonso Jerónimo de Salas Barbadillo was a Spanish novelist and playwright, born in Madrid, and educated in Alcalá de Henares and Valladolid.

His first work, La Patrona de Madrid restituida, is a dull devout poem, which forms a strange prelude to La Hija de Celestina, a malicious transcription of picaresque scenes reprinted under the title of La Ingeniosa Elena.

This was followed by a series of similar tales and plays, the best of which are:

El Cavallero puntual,

La Casa de placer honesto,

Don Diego de Noche and

a most sparkling satirical volume of character-sketches, El Curioso y fabio Alexandro.

He died in poverty at Madrid on the 10th of July 1635.

Some of his works were translated into English and French, and Scarron's Hypocrites is based on La Ingeniosa Elena; he deserved the vogue which he enjoyed till late in the 17th century, for his satirical humour, versatile invention and pointed style are an effective combination.