1854
1869
The family’s various moves throughout the Aragon region allowed him to develop a keen sense of curiosity which, combined with his personality, filled his childhood with adventures, mischief and experiences.
I was perhaps eight or nine years old when I developed an irresistible mania for staining paper, tracing scribbles in books and smearing the town’s newly whitewashed walls, doors and facades with all manner of graffiti, wartime scenes and bullfighting episodes. A smooth, white wall held an irresistible fascination for me.
THE SEEDS OF A REBELLIOUS SCIENTIST
Three events during Santiago Ramón y Cajal’s childhood had a decisive impact on the development of his character.
The celebrations held to commemorate the Spanish victories in Africa stirred his patriotic fervour.
A lightning strike in Valpalmas revealed to him the uncontrollable character of nature.
The solar eclipse of July 18, 1860, made him appreciate the power of science to study natural phenomena.
His curiosity was closely linked to his boundless creativity
“Nothing could satisfy my tireless pencil”
Cajal wrote this while discussing his childhood love of drawing. Painting came next, and he was on the verge of pursuing a career in art, but Don Justo, his demanding father, wouldn’t let him.
However, his artistic skills would later prove crucial in his ability to draw and interpret, in great detail, what he saw under the microscope. He also took an early interest in writing.
For his part, photography filled him with “inexpressible wonder,” and he was fascinated not only by the images themselves but also by the technical processes involved, in which he became a true master and pioneer. His family portraits, his travels, and his mastery of early colour are proof of this.
I widened the hole and noticed that the figures were becoming vague and hazy; I narrowed the gap in the window using pieces of paper stuck together with saliva and observed, with great satisfaction, that as the gap shrank, the figures grew in vitality and detail… I decided to take advantage of my unexpected discovery. Sitting on a chair, I amused myself by tracing those vivid, brilliant images onto paper; they seemed to comfort me, like a caress, in the solitude of my prison cell.
Throughout his life, Cajal owned several cameras of various formats, including some stereoscopic ones. However, the Verascope stood out as one of his favourites because of its compact size and versatility, especially during his trips and outings.