
What light! Palpable and alive — the winds, the boats, the bulls, the people at work and play — visual exultation at its finest.
The artist? Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (Valencian Spanish, 1863-1923). His work centered mostly in his native Valencia and Madrid. This prolific artist’s subject matter varied widely and he enjoyed great popularity during his lifetime.
If, at first glance, John Singer Sargent crosses your mind, one understands. Each artist indulged in loose, lush brushwork and a bright palette in pursuing light. Each was a premier portrait painter. Each is associated with Velasquez as an artistic influence. And each produced a body of work that endures and still engages.
- Joaquin Sorolla (Valencian Spanish, Impressionism, 1863-1923): On the Rocks at Javea, 1905. Oil on canvas, 89.7 x 126.5 cm (35-1/3 x 49-4/5 inches). Private Collection.
- Joaquin Sorolla (Valencian Spanish, Impressionism, 1863-1923): Just Out of the Sea, 1915. Oil on canvas, 130 x 155 cm. Museo Sorolla, Madrid, Spain.
- Joaquín Sorolla (Valencian Spanish, 1863-1923): Fishing Boats, 1915. Oil on canvas, 88 x 126 cm. Private Collection.
- Joaquin Sorolla (Valencian Spanish, Impressionism, 1863-1923): Bulls in the Sea, 1903. Oil on canvas, 131 x 190 cm (51.6 x 74.8 inches). Private Collection.
- Joaquin Sorolla (Valencian Spanish, Impressionism, 1863-1923): Boats on the Shore (Barcas en la playa), 1909. Oil on canvas, 56 x 94 cm (22 x 37 inches). Private Collection.
- Joaquin Sorolla (Valencian Spanish, Impressionism, 1863-1923): Gray day on Valencia Beach, 1901. Oil on canvas, 64 x 95 cm (25.2 x 37.4 inches). Private Collection.
- Joaquin Sorolla (Valencian Spanish, 1863-1923): Louis Comfort Tiffany, 1911. Oil on canvas, 150 x 225 cm. Hispanic Society of America, New York, NY, USA.
- Joaquin Sorolla (Valencian Spanish, Impressionism, 1863-1923): Valencian Boats, 1908. Oil on canvas.
- Joaquin Sorolla (Valencian Spanish, Impressionism, 1863-1923): Beached Boats, 1915. Oil on canvas, 100 x 120 cm (39 x 47 inches).
- Joaquin Sorolla (Valencian Spanish, Impressionism, 1863-1923): Paseo a la orillas del mar (Walk to the Sea), 1909. Oil on canvas, 205 × 200 cm (80.7 × 78.7 inches). Sorolla Museum, Madrid, Spain.
- Joaquin Sorolla (Valencian Spanish, Impressionism, 1863-1923): Return from Fishing, Hauling in the Boat; 1894. Oil on canvas, 265 x 403.5 cm. Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France.