A infancia de Cristo na poesia de Baltasar Esta o

In the panorama of Portuguese poetry dedicated to Christ’s childhood during the Mannerist period, Baltasar Esta o’s work distinguishes itself in the number of poems that he dedicates to this theme and the variety of episodes he invokes. In this article the poet’s unpublished work, Diálogo do Menino Perdido [Dialogue of the Lost Boy], is analysed, a long panegyric of the Sacred Family focusing on the episode where Jesus is lost in the temple. However, most of the attention is given to the poetry on Christ’s childhood included in his published work entitled Sonetos, can es, églogas e outras rimas [Sonnets, songs, eclogues and other rhymes], analysing its dominating themes and main stylistic processes. The spiritual line of thought expressed in this work is also compared to the religious literatureof the time, revealing some contrasting aspects.