Sorolla
was born in 1863 in Valencia, Spain. At two years of age,
his parents died in a cholera outbreak that left him orphaned.
His aunt and uncle raised him. He initiated his artistic
learning in 1877 with the sculptor Cayetano Capuz. Four
years later, Sorolla won a grant to study painting in
Rome. He completed his education in Rome, studying under
Francisco Pradilla. While there, he developed a distinct
ability for depicting the effects of light. After returning
to Spain in 1890, Sorolla settled down in Madrid. He began
his professional career with successes, prizes and important
orders. Of note, Sorolla won the National Medal of Beautiful
Arts in 1892 and 1895 and the Grand Prix of the Exhibition
of Paris of 1900. In these years, he painted works of
social criticism, which granted a certain prestige to
him in both Madrid and Paris.
1900
saw Sorolla move away from salon painting and follow a
more personal vision. Sorolla tied the academic traditions
of painting to the open air painting of the impressionists.
An artist of enormous production, between 1880 and 1920,
Sorolla executed over 4,000 paintings and sketches and
some 8,000 drawings. He sent 500 paintings to his first
show in Paris. His popularity extended through all of
Europe, giving exhibitions in Berlin (1907) and London
(1908). In 1909, Sorolla delivered 356 works to New York
City for exhibition and sale. More than half sold and
160,000 people viewed his show. The success in America
provided an important order for him: the decoration of
the main room of the Hispanic Society of America. Funded
by Archer Huntington, Sorolla was commissioned to paint
fourteen panels to represent the people and customs of
the diverse regions of Spain. The project took seven years
to complete.
Sorolla collapsed from a stroke in 1920 while painting
a portrait in his garden. Sadly, he was paralyzed for
three years and died the 10th of August 1923 at the age
of sixty.
Bibliography:
Sorolla: The Hispanic Society
Pricilla E. Muller and Marcus B. Burke
Sorolla
was born in 1863 in Valencia, Spain. At two years of age,
his parents died in a cholera outbreak that left him orphaned.
His aunt and uncle raised him. He initiated his artistic
learning in 1877 with the sculptor Cayetano Capuz. Four
years later, Sorolla won a grant to study painting in
Rome. He completed his education in Rome, studying under
Francisco Pradilla. While there, he developed a distinct
ability for depicting the effects of light. After returning
to Spain in 1890, Sorolla settled down in Madrid. He began
his professional career with successes, prizes and important
orders. Of note, Sorolla won the National Medal of Beautiful
Arts in 1892 and 1895 and the Grand Prix of the Exhibition
of Paris of 1900. In these years, he painted works of
social criticism, which granted a certain prestige to
him in both Madrid and Paris.
1900
saw Sorolla move away from salon painting and follow a
more personal vision. Sorolla tied the academic traditions
of painting to the open air painting of the impressionists.
An artist of enormous production, between 1880 and 1920,
Sorolla executed over 4,000 paintings and sketches and
some 8,000 drawings. He sent 500 paintings to his first
show in Paris. His popularity extended through all of
Europe, giving exhibitions in Berlin (1907) and London
(1908). In 1909, Sorolla delivered 356 works to New York
City for exhibition and sale. More than half sold and
160,000 people viewed his show. The success in America
provided an important order for him: the decoration of
the main room of the Hispanic Society of America. Funded
by Archer Huntington, Sorolla was commissioned to paint
fourteen panels to represent the people and customs of
the diverse regions of Spain. The project took seven years
to complete.
