Benutzerspezifische Werkzeuge

The Spanish "painter of light": Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923) in the international artistic scene

Although best known for his beach scenes, painted under the sunlight of his native land, Valencia, Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923) was one of the most celebrated Spanish painters of the last quarter of the XIXth Century and the first decades of the XXth Century, excelling in the painting of landscapes, portraits and historical themes. After receiving his initial artistic education in Valencia, Sorolla travelled to Madrid, where he completed his academic training and won a grant for a four years stay in Rome. His later sojourn in Paris in 1885 enabled him to come into contact with modern painting. Back in Madrid, Sorolla will achieve his greatest official successes during the next two decades, by exhibiting monumental social and historical subjects in several Parisian Salons and international exhibitions. This lecture aims to outline Sorolla's main artistic achievements, putting his paintings in line with his contemporaries, such as John Singer Sargent, Anders Zorn or Franz von Lenbach.

Prof. Dr. Amaya Alzaga Ruiz
is an Assistant Professor (PhD) in the Department of Art History at the U.N.E.D. University in Madrid. Her main areas of research include the artistic, literary and critical fate of 17th century Spanish painting as well as the late 19th century Spanish painting. Dr. Alzaga has been visiting scholar at various international institutions. Currently a member of a R&D project carrying out research on art collecting, she is also the editor of the academic journal Cartas Hispánicas, dedicated to publishing letters by 19th-century artists and writers.