Buffalo Bill Romance

In the framework of the Universal Exposition of Paris in 1889, two events took place in the French capital that were widely covered by the international press: the inauguration of the Eiffel Tower, built by the team of the engineer who gave it its name, and the presentation of the Wild West show starring William Frederick Cody, commonly known by the nickname Buffalo Bill, whose extraordinary fame preceded him.

Some time later, the Chilean poet Vicente Huidobro wrote a poem, dated in 1914, which he titled ‘Buffalo Bill Romance’. It is now published for the first time alongside other Huidobro poems dedicated to the Eiffel Tower and a cowboy who, considering the period in which it was composed, could very well be Will Cody himself.

In this chronicle, as entertaining and fascinating as the events it narrates, Carlos Pérez has salvaged stories and characters from the late 19th century and the inter-war period of the 20th century, which are essential to better understand the present times. While we witness a unique parade of heroes, villains, poets, and adventurers, the author introduces the reality of human zoos, the phenomenon of colonialism, secret societies, avant-garde art, and modernist and progressivist ideas.

Buffalo Bill Romance includes the graphic contributions of the illustrator Dani Sanchis, whose personal style pervades the work, and has gathered powerful images belonging to popular culture and children’s mythology, which will come as a surprise to many readers.