José Ortega Torres

José Ortega Torres (1943 – 29 November 2025) was a Spanish poet and an author in the Andalusian poetic scene. A contemporary of the Novísimos poetic movement, his work follows more traditional forms (rhyme, sonnet), with a marked rhythm and deliberate word choice that bring to mind the classical Mediterranean tradition. His biography sheds light on the local history of poetry in the city of Granada.

Life and career Ortega Torres was born in Granada, Spain in 1943. He majored in Romance Philology at the University of Granada between 1966 and 1969 and in 1971 read his dissertation "Aproximación a la poesía de Rafael Guillén" (Approach to the poetry of Rafael Guillén), under the supervision of Professor Emilio Orozco Díaz. In 1975, he founded with poets José Lupiáñez (La Línea de la Concepción) and José Gutiérrez (Granada) the Silene literary collection, which since then has published works by many local poets (among others, Juan de Loxa, José Rienda, Elena Martín Vivaldi and Carmelo Sánchez Muros). He obtained his Ph.D. in Spanish Philology in 1971 with the work "La poesía de Rafael Guillén: lengua, temas y estilo" (Rafael Guillén's Poetry - Language, Subjects and Style).

During the 1990s and 2000s, he taught Spanish Literature at the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting of the University of Granada.

Ortega Torres used the anagram Narzeo Antino. He died from injuries sustained in a fire on 29 November 2025, at the age of 82.

Quotes

'Diamante', Granada, 1978, p. 34.

Works and prizes Cauce vivo ("A Live Riverbed"), 1971, signed as Aldo Fresno Ceremonia salvaje ("A Wild Ceremony"), 1973 Carmen de Aynadamar ("The Carmen of Aynadamar"), 1974 Ritos y cenizas ("Rites and Ashes"), 1975 "Poema de la Alhambra, de A.E.” (published in the Granada journal Ideal on 23 February 1975) El exilio y el reino ("The Exile and the Kingdom"), 1979 Hierofanía ("Hierophany", 1981), Federico García Lorca Prize in 1979 (sponsored by the University of Granada). La diadema y el cetro: himno ("The Diadem and the Sceptre - a Hymn"), 1983 Diamante: (espacio íntimo) (Diamond: an intimate space"), 1987 Olvido es el mar, ("The Sea is Oblivion"), 1989 Domus aurea ("Domus Aurea", 1996), Provincia de León Prize, 1994. Laurel & glosa, ("A Laurel and a Note"), 1997 Centinela del aire ("The Sentinel of the Air"), 1999, Ciudad de Salamanca Prize. Amante desafío ("A Loving Challenge"), 2001 Fulgor de la materia ("The Splendor of the Matter"), 2003 Un título para Eros. Erotismo, sensualidad y sexualidad en la literatura ("A Title for Eros. Erotism, Sensuality and Sexuality in Literature"), Chapter 7 - “Falomanía y travesura en El jardín de Venus de Samaniego” ("Fallomania and Play in Samaniego's Garden of Venus")