The rarest exhibition of the “master of light” by Maria Azzurra Volpe

A rare Sorolla’s exhibition is currently taking place at the National Gallery, after a century none of his paintings had touched British land.

by Maria Azzurra Volpe

The Spanish impressionist, Sorolla, is considered to be the “master of light” of the Mediterranean, because of the way he uses the white colour to imitate light reflection in his paintings.

Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida,was born in Valencia in 1963, and in his era, he was underestimated, “he was forgottenfor more than 25 years” says Colombian painter Jose Abelardo Vargas.

Sorolla was born during the historic time when impressionism begin, therefore his style was heavily influenced by it. He began studying art at the age of nine in his town, he then went on studying in Rome at the Spanish Academy, but the most important part of his education took place in Paris in 1885 which exposed him to modernism or “art nuveau”.

“He translates in his art the periods of luminism and impressionism which are very important to his artistic evolution that will end up in the contemporary art.”

According to Sorolla, "Art has nothing to do with anything sad or ugly. Light gives life to everything it touches, so the more light is in a painting, the more life, more truth, and therefore more beauty."

The use of the white as one of his protagonist colours, gives his works have a distinguishable luminosity, which is his uniqueness.

“One of his most important contribution to art is the fluid brushing, and his lively set of colours which helped him develop his avant-garde style, impregnated with the social and philosophical issues of the era. His biggest legacy was his focus on the representation of mythological historical and social costumes (Spanish Costumbrismo).”

According to Jose, photography was an important part of his work, he needed pictures to see the little details of things: “like Proust said, the human eyes cannot perceive, because of the fugacity of the human gaze”.

Sorolla didn’t use photography to refresh his memory, he used it to get close to the “hidden realities overlayered”.

“He was fully conscious that the camera was capable of showing him what doesn’t exist anymore what has been swept by the time.” Said Jose.

“Sometimes, for some of my paintings I have taken inspiration, but just vaguely, because it’s difficult to use it the way he does”.

After a non-prosperous period, Sorolla travel from Spain to the main capitals of Europe and the States, where he met notorious painters, critics and collectors who helped him gain fame. His most famous painting is perhaps “Sad Inheritance” which established his reputation as an artist and made him the most successful living painter in Spain.

The afore mentioned artwork that won Sorolla the Grand Prix at the 1900 World Fair, is one of the paintings exposed in the National Gallery for the current exhibition, together some other of his most famous pieces like “The Return from Fishing” and “Sewing the Sail”.

Sorolla’s paintings, finally exposed again in England after more than a century, leave the public stunned.

Evan Parker who saw the exhibition at the National Gallery, describes the painter as “very good at lighting.”

“His paintings seem to have real sunlight, it’s amazing how he could paint pictures that have such a real appearance, I think his artworks are impressive, capturing light that well is no easy task.”

The exhibition will last until July 7thand tickets can be bought online on the National Gallery’s website.