Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863-1923) was a Spanish Impressionist painter whose original, cheerful and sunny paintings occupy a special place in world painting. Perhaps there is nothing grandiose: Sorolla preferred to depict things simple and everyday, what he saw himself: his family, fishermen, swimming kids, beaches, but his paintings reflect the very spirit of Valencia, and the ability to work with light is impressive. We will talk about the life and work of the artist in this article.
A walk by the sea
Originally from Valencia, Sorolla's parents were merchants but sadly died of cholera when little Joaquin was just two years old. He was raised by an aunt and uncle who worked as a locksmith. He initially wanted Joaquin to join his trade, but seeing that the boy has a talent for drawing, prudently decided to leave him alone and even gave him a box of paints. At the age of 15 Joaquin began to study at the school of fine arts in Valencia, he was praised by all teachers and prophesied a great future, but everything rested on money. It was difficult for a simple mechanic to pay for the expensive studies of his nephew, but soon Sorolla himself began to write paintings for sale, even if instead of playing and socializing with peers had to sit in the evenings in a stuffy studio in front of the next canvas.
The Other Margarita
One day he sold his painting for 100 reals to a local junk dealer, but he didn't make much profit on it, because the cunning junk dealer gave away more than half of this sum in worthless junk. This picture he hung in his shop, where one day the photographer Antonio Garcia Peris visited. He sincerely admired Sorolla's artwork, and when he learned that it was painted by a 16-year-old boy, he decided to patronize him, bought paints and canvases, and paid part of the cost of his studies. This acquaintance was truly significant for Sorolla: he would later marry the photographer's daughter Clotilde and live with her for many happy years.
My family
At the age of 18 Sorolla decided to conquer Madrid, and after a good study of what is now the most sought after by the public and critics wrote the painting "Defense of the artillery battery Monteleon". "To become famous, you have to write dead people" - he said to his friends. But this style of painting the artist himself did not like it at all, but had to write "as it should".
Defense of the artillery battery of Monteleon
Soon, at the expense of the authorities of Valencia, he went to the Roman Academy of Arts, the participation in which, at the same time visited and Paris. There he was seriously interested in the realistic style of Bastien-Lepage and wrote in his style of painting "The Burial of Christ". Except that no one liked it, it was so fiercely criticized that the fiery Sorolla in a fit of anger picture destroyed.
Returning from fishing. Towing a boat
But from naturalistic painting did not give up, but, learned from bitter experience, carefully chose the subjects and characters he wanted to capture. Gradually his fame and recognition grew: Sorolla's paintings were honored to exhibit the world's leading museums, at exhibitions they occupied the best place, and in 40 years he was already unconditionally recognized as the first artist of Spain.
The Sad Legacy
He decided to do away with social themes, as he felt that nothing more heartwarming and touching than his famous "Sad Legacy" will not write anyway, and focused on depicting everyday life, beautiful Spanish beaches, his family and children swimming. At the same time, he decided to try his hand at the increasingly popular impressionism, moving away from the realism in which he painted in his youth.
Bacchante
"Art should reflect nothing ugly or sad, and the more light in paintings the better: light makes painting beautiful, true and alive."
Vacationing Bacchante
And this rule he followed for the rest of his life, creating many excellent paintings, literally permeated with light, in the depiction of which he reached the heights of mastery.
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