Tuesday, 15 October 2013

Museo Sorolla, August 28th

I did say I would do a separate post on this museum as it was a delightful find thanks to the recommendation of our son Alec. It is a small museum in the original residence of the artist Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida, a great Spanish Impressionist artist who was very influential in Spain and became a friend of the Spanish Royal family and much loved by the Spanish aristocracy. He was influenced by the great Spanish painter Velazquez and his real success was at the Paris Universal Exposition of 1900 and was further enhanced with his portrait of American President Taft, even though portraits were not his strong point.
Sorolla suffered a stroke in 1920, while painting a portrait in his garden in Madrid. Paralyzed for over three years, he died in 1923. After his death, Sorolla's widow left many of his paintings to the Spanish public. These paintings eventually formed the collection that is now known as the Museo Sorolla, which is in the artist's house in Madrid. The museum opened in 1932 and we were lucky enough to visit this year and were both greatly impressed; both by the art works and by the place itself. Please enjoy these images of our visit.

great entrance, not sure if it will work at home though

great courtyard garden


throughout Spain, loved the tiles

and again, repair job in progress on right

now you know his work

getting me one of those hats

Joaquin's children

studio inside the house

light was as you would expect

beats the jam jars Jane uses.

sculpture of Sorolla by Russian impressionist Paolo Troubetzkoy



little side window to the salon

more tiles

lovely quiet and reflective spaces created in the garden.

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