“ART: A WAY OF COMUNICATION”
eTwinning project
"SOROLLA"
Researched and created
by
CPEIP “OTERO DE NAVASCUES” CINTRUÉNIGO -NAVARRA
5ºD STUDENTS
¿Who was Sorolla?
Sorolla was a Spanish impressionist painter. He painted more
than 2.200 paintings, a lot of them are exhibited in Sorolla’s
museum in Madrid
His name is Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida.
He was married and had three children who used to pose for his
artwork. That was why most of his exhibitions displayed paintings
of his family.
Sorolla said that his paintings expressed more than 1ooo words
because they transmitted his feelings visually. He was inspired by
his family and a lot of his paintings were dedicated to those who
he loved.
JOAQUíN
SOROLLA
FATHER - CHILDREN
1904
1904
SOROLLA’S LIFE
Sorolla was born in Valencia in 1863. When he was two
years old, his sister and he became orphans and they went to live
with their uncle and aunt.
In 1885 Sorolla was given a grant to travel to Rome, Paris
and to Italy. In 1887 he settled in Asis where he started painting
some scenes from the environment of Valencia, under the
influence of José Benlliure and Gil.
In 1888 he married Clotilde García del Castillo and in 1890
his first daughter, María Clotilde, was born, in 1892, his only son
Joaquín and in 1895, Elena, his Third child.
In 1920 Sorolla suffered a stroke and the left part of his
body was paralyzed. His family tried to give his spirit but the
painter wasted away 10th August 1923, when he died in
Cercedilla (Madrid)
SOROLLA’S STUDIES
In 1874 Sorolla started his studies in “Escuela Normal Superior” and
he studied painting at evening classes in the “Artisan School”.
He studied fine Arts in the Art College of “San Carlos” with great
painters like Benlliure and Guadalajara.
In 1985 he went to Roma and Paris where he made contact with
naturalism (the representation of natural appearances) and he
completed his artistic training in Italy.
When he was in Asis he painted under the influence of José Benlliure
and Gil, who would have an impact in his later artwork.
In 1889 he returned to París to visit the
Universal Exhibition where he
discovered the Northem European
painters and their peculiar treatment of
light on which he would base his own
version of illumination. This would be
the start of his consolidation period.
PRIZES AND AKNOWLEDGEMENT
• In 1878 Sorolla won the prize awarded by the council of the Artisan School of
Valencia.
• In 1880 his painting “Moro acechando la ocasión de su venganza” was
awarded the Silver Medal in The Iris Society Exhibition.
• In 1883, he won a medal in the Valencia Regional exhibition, and in 1884, his
masterpiece “Dos de Mayo” obtained the second class medal in the National
Fine Arts Exhibition
• In 1885 the Council of Valencia gave him a grant to study in Rome.
• In 1892 and in 1895 he won the Primer National Fine Arts Medal. In 1900 he
won the Gran Prix at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1900, among other
acknowledgements.
• Sorolla was the winner of the main international prizes but his principal
achievement was to be admired by his colleagues and that his paintings have
become our legacy.
SUN, SEA, LIGHT, SAND
Consolidation period (1889-1899):
Sorolla discovered the treatment of light. He used new nuances to represent
light and sunshine. The subjects he represented are related to the sea, to
fishing and to social themes.
Mature period (1900-1910):
Sorolla created his best masterpieces, where the light is the main subject. He
painted portraits , landscapes, themes relating to the sea and beach scenes.
He traveled to different Spanish regions and from 1907 he started painting
gardens above all gardens of Andalucía.
His Last Years (1911-1920):
Sorolla painted fourteen monumental panels “Vision
of Spain” to decorate the library of The Hispanic
Society of América in Nueva York, He represents
each Spanish Region showing the most peculiar of
their costumes and their customs.
(We like this painting because Sorolla has used bright colours and we
can see the waves going and coming on the beach )
Sorolla’s Most Important Masterpieces
ACADEMIC PERIOD (1863-1888)
CONSOLIDATION PERIOD
(1889-1899)
Moorish with
oranges 1885-1886
A research 1897
The guitar player.
Valencian customs.
1889
Sorolla’s Most Important Marterpieces
MATURE PERIOD (1900-1910)
LAST YEARS (1911-1920)
Ayamonte, The Tuna Catch
1916
The boy of the boat 904
Breakwater, San Sebastián 1917
Swimmers, Javea 1905
“THE BULLS RUNNING IN VALENCIA”
We love this painting because we can see the bulls running like
they did in the past, although nowadays bulls are led by horses
from one place to another.
ARTWORK ACTIVITY: To get to know Sorolla and this masterpiece
better you can copy this painting. Pay attention to postures and
movements of bulls and horses.
“ALCAZAR OF SEVILLA’S FOUNTAIN”
We have chosen this canvas by
Joaquin Sorolla in 1908 because it
is really beautiful. When Sorolla
saw the gardens in Reales
Alcázares of Sevilla he was really
impressed. From that moment
garden themes would gain
importance in his work. He loved
painting small and intimate
corners more than big
perspectives.
ARTWORK ON SOROLLA: Choose a
beautiful corner of your nearest
green park. Take sheet of paper
and sketch a corner of the park,
then colour it with wax crayons at
school.
“Strolling along the seashore”
Joaquín Sorolla painted this canvas in 1909.
The painting shows Sorolla’s wife and his eldest daughter
strolling along the seashore. They are dressed on bright
white and both wear hats and umbrellas. The sea is calm
and the waves go slowly. The sand looks bright with the
sunshine.
ARTWORK ON SOROLLA:
Using wax colours you can draw
some hats and umbrellas and
make a composition with them in a
background blue, brown and
purple.
Make a painting on the sea and
add something that you like.
“BEATRIZ”
Sorolla made this
painting in 1906.
Sorolla had shown his
first individual
exhibition in Paris and
after that he settled in
Biarritz.
The exhibition was a great success
and from this moment he changed
his painting becoming quieter,
probably because of the French
impressionism’s influence. He used
new colours like purple and violet.
Bring to the school a picture
about you. Copy your image,
then cut it along the edge and
put it in the sea. You can
represent the sea in a sheet of
paper sticking in coloured
pieces of paper.
PORTRAITS
Sorolla painted some portraits and
self portraits.
¿Why don’t you make your self
portrait or your classmate’s portrait?
First you can try making an outline
with your pencil and then you can
make the final work with colours.
Then add a beautiful background
with blue, purple and violets.
“SEWING THE SAIL”
This masterpiece was created in 1896. It is one of the most
famous Sorolla masterpieces. It represents the moment
when some people are sewing the sail in a sailor home
garden. The light that brights the painting, the sail’s whites
colours and the bright plants are the most remarkable in the
painting.
This painting won the golden medal in the Munich
International Exhibition in 1897 and the Gran National medal
in the Vienna International Exhibition in 1898.