Mexican Poetesses. 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries (Mexico, 1893): The History of “a Curious and Interesting Collection of Poetry.”

Abstract

This article reconstructs the historical and cultural framework that led to the creation of Poetisas mexicanas. Siglos XVI, XVII, XVIII y XIX (1893), the first anthology composed exclusively of poetry written by Mexican women, employing a historical-documentary methodology based on chronicles of the World’s Columbian Exposition, institutional records, and analysis of the compilations prepared for the event. Its objective is to explain how cultural and political networks—especially the Junta de Señoras de México and editor José María Vigil—shaped the selection, organization, and international circulation of women’s literature from the colonial period through the nineteenth century. As a key scope, the study demonstrates that the anthology rescued texts otherwise scattered across regional newspapers and publications, becoming an essential source for understanding female authorship in Mexican literary history, despite limitations arising from time constraints, uneven regional representation, and incomplete access to materials. Overall, the article highlights the central role of the 1893 exposition in showcasing Mexican women’s artistic talent and consolidating a poetic corpus that remains invaluable for contemporary literary scholarship.