Pere Maria Orts i Bosch

Pere Maria Orts i Bosch (Valencia, 5 July 1921 – 26 February 2015)^[1] was a Valencian writer, historian, researcher, heraldist and art collector. He was member of the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua (Valencian Language Academy) and he was awarded by the High Distinction of the Generalitat Valenciana (Valencian regional government) in 2006.

Biography

He was born on the city of Valencia on 5 July 1921. He went to the High School in the Piarist School of Valencia and in 1945 he became graduated in Law in the University of Valencia, even though he has never worked as a lawyer and he has been devoted to his task as a historian and researcher.

Pere Maria Orts has strong links with the city of Benidorm (Marina Baixa), the village of his paternal family. This way, he has followed the steps of his paternal grandfather Pere Maria Orts i Berdín (Benidorm, 1839), judge of the Superior Court of Valencia and historian.

When he was 45 years-old, Orts moved to Benidorm and he focused on research, specially the studies that had a direct relationship with the area of la Marina (Marina Alta and Marina Baixa). The main aim of Orts' literary task and global artistic task has been to locate extraordinary documents and works of art that belong to the ancient Kingdom of Valencia, that owing to exogenous reasons have abandonned their origin. Orts' general aim has been to complete Valencian patrimony and part of its lost history. As an art sponsor, he enlarged his family heritage with the purchase of all kind of artistic objects. He searched unique objects in libraries, archives and museums that were placed outside the Valencian Country. He finally decided in 2006 to donate most of this heritage to some Valencian public institutions. Among these institutions, the following ones must be pointed out:

• Valencian Library: More than 11.000 volumes. Among these there are 13 incunables)
• Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia saint Pius V: 229 paintings that cover the period of time from the most important painters of the Trecento until the 20th century and artistic objects of great value, such as 10 sculptures, 69 pieces of pottery that come mainly from Manises, Talavera, l'Alcora and Ribesalbes, or that were imported from China, Japan and France, chinaware of the Indian Company and glass from Murano.

Orts' legacy is completed with 9 furniture, 3 tapestries, 7 chalices, several candelabrums and even a silver writing desk.

He died on 26 February 2015.^[2]

Works

The following works could be pointed out:

• Una imagen de la Virgen en Benidorm (1965). (Spanish)
• Regalismo en el siglo XVI. Sus implicaciones políticas en la Diputación de Valencia (1971). (Spanish)
• Alicante, notas históricas (1373–1800) (1971). (Catalan)
• Arribada d'una imatge de la Verge a Benidorm (1972). (Catalan)
• Introducció a la història de la Vila-Joiosa i el notari Andreu Mayor (1972). (Catalan)
• L'almirall Bernat de Sarrià i la Carta de Poblament de Benidorm. (1976) (Catalan)
• Història de la Senyera al País Valencià (1979) (Catalan).^[3]
• Carta Pobla de Benidorm (1987). (Catalan)
• Carta Pobla d'Altea (1988). (Catalan)
• Carta Pobla de la Núcia (1989). (Catalan)
• Notes sobre certs topònims valencians en el Llibre dels fets del rei En Jaume (1994) (Catalan). In the review Saitabi, of the Faculty of Geography and History of the University of Valencia.
• Los Borja: de Xàtiva a Roma. Notas acerca del origen y ascenso de los Borja (1995). (Spanish)

He wrote also many articles about the history of Benidorm and toponimy of the Marina Baixa in the review of the local holidays of Benidorm. He wrote also many prologues for other books, and articles for collective works. He also collaborated with studies about genealogy and heraldry in the Great Encyclopedia of the Valencian Region]] (1972–77).

Acknowledgements and prizes

• Official Chronicle and Adopted Son of Benidorm on 23 December 1985.
• Cultural award City of Benidorm, on 9 October 2008.
• Honour Award of the Valencian Letters in 1996.
• Honour Academic of the Saint Charles Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Valencia since 1999.
• Honorary Son and Golden Medal of the City of Valencia.
• High Distinction of Generalitat Valenciana (Valencian regional government) in 2006.

Important positions

• Member of the Board of the Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia saint Pius V (2001).
• Member of the Valencian Academy of Language (2001).
• Member of the Council of Libraries of the Education Department of the Generalitat Valenciana (Valencian regional government) since 1987.
• Counselor of the commission for grants for the study of Valencian culture in 2000, 2003 and 2007.
• Member of the jury of the Alfons el Magnànim prize in poetry in Valencian in 2003.

References

1. News about Pere Maria Orts' death in La Veu del País Valencià (28 February 2015) (Catalan)
2. News in Levante-EMV. (Spanish)
3. This can be read on line in two parts: 1ª part and 2ª part

External links

• Pere Maria Orts i Bosch Archive (Valencian Library). (Catalan)
• Website of the Valencian Language Academy. (Catalan)