Women of Summer by Spaniard Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida 1863-1923

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Beneath the Canopy 1910

Duncan Phillips, one of the founders of The Phillips Collection, visited Sorolla in Madrid around 1910. He published his article Sorolla: the Painter of Sunlight in 1913. "At his best Sorolla combines truth and beauty in a very exceptional way. His distinctive achievement is the effect of sunlight on white - white skin, white sails, white dresses, white walls. His whites are never twice alike, but they speak vividly of various sorts of surfaces and edges...from Monet or from experience he has learned that a slight mixture with pure white pigment of yellow or vermilion for parts in light, and of violet or blue for parts in shadow, will produce the illusion of air that sparkles with sunbeams."

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Clotilde and Elena on the Rocks at Javea 1905

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Clotilde 1891

Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Clotilde at the Beach 1904

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Fishing Nets 1893

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Girl with Flowers

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) In the Garden 1896

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Italian Girl with Flowers

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Lighthouse Walk at Biarritz 1906

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Maria at la Granja

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Maria at the Beach Biarritz 1906

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Maria Painting in el Pardo 1907

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Mending the Sails 1896

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) My Wife and Daughters

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Promenade by the Sea 1909

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Shell in Javea 1900

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Snapshot at Biarritz 1906

 Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish artist, 1863-1923) Under the Parasol, Zarauz, 1910''

Biography of Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863-1923)

Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida, born in1863, in Valencia, Spain, emerged as one of Spain's most celebrated painters of that period. Renowned for his mastery of light, color, & depiction of everyday life, Sorolla’s work traverses various genres, including landscapes, seascapes, portraits, & social scenes. His artistic style evolved from early Realism to a distinctive form of Impressionism, characterized by vibrant, luminous scenes set against the Mediterranean coast. 

Sorolla was orphaned at a young age & raised by his aunt & uncle. His artistic talent became evident early in life, & by the age of 15, he began formal art studies at the Academy of San Carlos in Valencia. After completing his studies, Sorolla traveled to Madrid, where he diligently copied works in the Prado Museum, particularly those of Velázquez & El Greco.

In 1885, Sorolla received a grant to study in Rome, where he spent 4 years refining his craft. During this period, he traveled up to Paris, where he was deeply influenced by the French Impressionists. Sorolla is best known for his vibrant depictions of sun-drenched landscapes & seascapes, where he captured the moody brilliance of the Mediterranean sun & the fluid reflection of water with unparalleled vision & skill.

In 1888, Sorolla married Clotilde García del Castillo, the daughter of a prominent photographer. Clotilde became his muse, appearing in many of his portraits, & the couple had three children. Sorolla’s family life was a central theme in his work, with his children frequently depicted in his paintings, often painting them in intimate & joyful settings.

In the latter part of his career, Sorolla continued to produce works celebrating light, nature, & the vibrancy of life. In 1920, he suffered a stroke ending his active career. He died in Madrid in1923. His ability to capture the essence of Spanish culture, the breathtaking beauty of the Mediterranean, & the subtleties of light earned him the title "Master of Light." 

Bibliography

Books:

Barón, Javier. Sorolla: The Masterworks. Skira Rizzoli, 2019.

Benedetti, María López Fernández, & Francisco Pons-Sorolla. Sorolla: A Vision of Spain. Instituto de Cultura Fundación MAPFRE, 2007.

Mena Marqués, Manuela B. Joaquín Sorolla 1863-1923. Museo Nacional del Prado, 2009.

Mendelson, Jordana, & Blanca Pons-Sorolla. Sorolla & America. Ediciones El Viso, 2014.

Pons-Sorolla, Blanca. Joaquín Sorolla. Polígrafa, 2001.

Articles:

Barón, Javier. "Joaquín Sorolla & His World." Apollo: The International Art Magazine, vol. 169, no. 567, 2009, pp. 18-26.

Blanco, Antonio Muñoz. "Sorolla, the Painter of Light." The Burlington Magazine, vol. 136, no. 1098, 1994, pp. 252-259.

Cohen, Sarah. "The Mediterranean Vision of Joaquín Sorolla: Light, Landscape, & Identity." Art History, vol. 32, no. 4, 2009, pp. 545-567.

Llorens, Tomás. "Sorolla & the Spanish Realist Tradition." The Art Bulletin, vol. 79, no. 3, 1997, pp. 451-468.

Pons-Sorolla, Blanca. "Sorolla: Portraits of Family & Friends." Journal of Art Historiography, vol. 12, 2015, pp. 89-107.