Can Benaprès
In this house in carrer Major number 29, can Benaprès, lived a family of doctors and writers. Gaietà Benaprès Mestre (Sitges, 1848 - 1907), son of a pharmacist, was a doctor, politician and publicist. He gave up a promising future in Academia and chose instead to practice medicine in his birth town. He spent his whole life in service to his town. In return, in 1917 a monument was erected to his memory in the passeig Marítim, which is popularly referred to as “L’Estàtua” (The Statue).
After his father’s demise, his son, Joan Ramon Benaprès Palet (Sitges, 1872 - 1967), took over his practice in Sitges. Man of great culture, a pioneer in the medical field, friendly… he was a unique character. His house was a meeting place for artists and intellectuals who would gather every afternoon to hold animated discussions. He lodged some of the illustrious names of the time such as Santiago Rusiñol, Torres Garcia or Diego Ruiz, who wrote Blanco refugio (White Shelter, 1913) in the doctor’s house.
Joan Ramon Benaprès took active part in the town’s life like in La Festa de la Poesia in 1917 or endorsing Isabel Julià’s project to build a tuberculosis ward in the newly built Hospital de Sant Joan Baptista. In 1952, his bust, created by Pere Jou, was put up in the Hospital gardens.
Doctor Joan Ramon Benaprès had a half sister and a half brother from his father’s second marriage to Corina Mestre Mestre, both had a passion for letters.
Rita Benaprès Mestre (Sitges, 1877 – 1968). The doctor’s house welcomed many of the personalities who visited Sitges, from Modernist and avant-garde artists to leading figures akin to the Regime. It was, in all senses, a house full of culture. This atmosphere, undoubtedly, had an important influence on Rita’s poetic work. Important names from the musical scene such as Amadeu Cuscó, Manuel Torrents or Enric Morera put music to some of her verses.
The third of the siblings, Joaquim Benaprès Mestre (Sitges, 1881 - 1946) was also a man of letters, and an art collector, frequent collaborator in L’Eco de Sitges and playwright, mainly of zarzuelas and astracanadas (genre close to slapstick comedy). His works were quite successful at the time.
Can Benaprès
In this house in carrer Major number 29, can Benaprès, lived a family of doctors and writers. Gaietà Benaprès Mestre (Sitges, 1848 - 1907), son of a pharmacist, was a doctor, politician and publicist. He gave up a promising future in Academia and chose instead to practice medicine in his birth town.
He wrote the Reglamento por el que deberá regirse el Hospital Civil de Sitges (Regulations for the Civil Hospital in Sitges), an exemplary work of its kind that was, however, not sanctioned by the town council.
He also published a scientific opuscule, Los baños de mar (Sea bathing, Madrid, 1882) and several articles in the Sitges' press. He spent his whole life in service to his town. In return, in 1917 a monument was erected to his memory in the passeig Marítim, which is popularly referred to as "L'Estàtua" (The Statue).
His son, Joan Ramon Benaprès Palet (Sitges, 1872 - 1967), after obtaining a degree in Medicine, started to work as a doctor for La Compañía Transatlántica Pinillos, Izquierdo y cía. In 1898 he would go on to work in La Granada del Penedès and, after his father's demise, he took over his practice in Sitges. He was doctor to president Enric Prat de la Riba in the summer of 1917.
Man of great culture, a pioneer in the medical field, friendly… he was a unique character. His house was a meeting place for artists and intellectuals who would gather every afternoon to hold animated discussions. He lodged some of the illustrious names of the time such as Santiago Rusiñol, Torres Garcia or Diego Ruiz, who wrote Blanco refugio (White Shelter, 1913) in the doctor's house. Joan Ramon Benaprès took active part in the town's life like in La Festa de la Poesia in 1917 or endorsing Isabel Julià's project to build a tuberculosis ward in the newly built Hospital de Sant Joan Baptista.
He also published articles in the weekly papers and wrote Unas memorias intrascendentes (Inconsequential Memories) published in Antología de Sitges num. 4-8 (1953-1955), and reissued by El Pati Blau in 2001. In them he talks about Sitges in the turn-of-the-century, when he is in his twenties and studying medicine in Barcelona. Sadly, they remained unfinished.
In 1952, his bust, created by Pere Jou, was put up in the Hospital gardens. His daughters, Carolina and Maria Teresa, were the first women in Sitges to obtain a university degree, in Humanities and Pharmacy, respectively.
Doctor Joan Ramon Benaprès had a half sister and a half brother from his father's second marriage to Corina Mestre Mestre, both had a passion for letters. Rita Benaprès Mestre (Sitges, 1877 – 1968) had the fortune of being born in a family with means and culture that cared equally for all their children's education. The doctor's house welcomed many of the personalities who visited Sitges, from Modernist and avant-garde artists to leading figures akin to the Regime. It was, in all senses, a house full of culture.
This atmosphere, undoubtedly, had an important influence on Rita's poetic work. Important names from the musical scene such as Amadeu Cuscó, Manuel Torrents or Enric Morera put music to some of her verses. She participated in many events in the town like artistic and poetic soirées, fund raising acts, pious celebrations, raffles, contests, charity concerts, etc.
Her friends published a collection of her poems in May 1917, Càntics (Poems), both an act of friendship and a tribute to her work. Always true to her family and faith, her compositions reflect her Marian devotion and bespeak a contemplative and active spirituality.
In 1950, the actors of the Patronat d'Acció Social Catòlica paid tribute to her theatrical endeavors and her teaching of the Christian doctrine. The Prado and the Retiro also joined the gala and she decided to donate all the money collected to the Patronat's night school. The Barcelona City Council sponsored her representation of Sibyl Cassandra. She received a parchment from artist Ferré de Serra and a medal from jeweler Ramon Sunyer. The program included original poems by Suriñach, Soler Forment and J.A. Ricart-Forment.
The third of the siblings, Joaquim Benaprès Mestre (Sitges, 1881 - 1946) was also a man of letters, and an art collector, frequent collaborator in L'Eco de Sitges and playwright, mainly of zarzuelas and astracanadas (genre close to slapstick comedy). His works were quite successful at the time. Amongst those that were performed on stage stand out Nit de trons (1904, Stormy Night), with Enric Morera's music; Felicitat (1906, Happiness), musicalized by Amadeu Cuscó; and Escenes de platja (1907, Beach scenes), with Joan F. Tort's music.
Bibliography:
Sierra Farreras, Roland (1998). Diccionari Biogràfic de Sitgetans. Ajuntament de Sitges. Sitges.
Esquerda Bosch, Montserrat (2000). La ciutat del record. Ramon Nadal editor. Sitges.
http://escriurecansa.blogspot.com, 16 de juliol de 2016: “Fer-la petar. Tertúlies sitgetanes en el tombant dels segles XIX i XX”.
Esquerda Bosch, Montserrat. Recull de premsa.