Mexican poet, writer, and diplomat Octavio Paz (1914–1998) was raised in Mexico City. At the age of nineteen Paz published his first book of poetry. He distinguished himself with the publication of Bajo tu clara sombra y otros poemas, a series of poems that reflect on his visit to Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Paz published volumes of poetry, essays, literary criticism, and prose, and also served as an editor for literary publications. His published volumes of poetry include No pasaran! (1937), Libertad bajo palabra (1949), ¿Águila o sol? (1951), and Piedra de sol (1957). He also produced volumes of essays and literary criticism including El laberinto de la soledad (1950), El arco y la lira (1956), and Las peras del olmo (1957). El laberinto de la soledad is a collection of nine essays on Mexican identity and history in which Paz depicted Mexicans as stuck between their Pre-Columbian and Spanish identities. Paz also wrote art criticism and poetry dedicated to the artists Balthus, Antoni Tàpies, Joan Miró, Marcel Duchamp, Roberto Matta, and Robert Rauschenberg. In 1945 Paz became part of Mexico’s diplomatic corps, only to resign in 1968 in protest of Mexico’s violent suppression of student protests. In 1990 Paz received the Nobel Prize in Literature. “Voluntad de forma” reveals Paz’s interest in Mexican identity as seen through artistic practice, history, and geography.