author
Joaquim Riera i Bertran
1848–1924
A Catalan writer and public figure from the Renaixença era, he moved easily between politics, journalism, and popular fiction. His work often brought everyday life, local customs, and social concerns into clear, lively prose.
1 Audiobook
Escenas de la vida pagesa
by Joaquim Riera i Bertran
About the author
Born in Girona on January 25, 1848, and died in Barcelona on March 15, 1924, he studied law at the University of Barcelona and worked for a time as a judge in Girona. He was active in public life from an early age, taking part in federal politics, serving briefly as mayor of Girona in 1873, and later becoming involved with leading Catalan cultural and civic institutions.
Alongside his political work, he built a substantial literary career in Catalan. He collaborated with periodicals of his time, especially those linked to the cultural revival known as the Renaixença, and wrote novels, short prose, and costumbrista pieces that observed daily life with wit and attention to social detail.
He also held prominent roles in Catalan cultural organizations, including the Unió Catalanista and the Associació Catalana d'Excursions Científiques. Today he is remembered as a writer who connected literature, journalism, and civic life, helping give Catalan readers stories rooted in their own language and world.