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Sorolla: The Masterworks
A new survey of the best works by the elusive and spectacular Spanish Impressionist Joaquín Sorolla. Often compared to his contemporary, the American artist John Singer Sargent, Joaquín Sorolla (1863–1923) was a master draftsman and painter of landscapes, formal portraits, and monumental, historically themed canvases. Highly influenced by French Impressionism, the Valencian artist was a master plein-air painter known for his luminous seaside scenes of frolicking youths and for vivid depictions of Spanish rural life and its pleasures and customs.
This beautifully designed and produced volume brings together one hundred of Sorolla’s major paintings, selected by his great-granddaughter Blanca Pons-Sorolla, the foremost authority on the artist. Benefiting from close proximity to the artist and his personal archives, she presents an in-depth essay that explores Sorolla’s life, work, and remarkable international legacy.
With virtually all of the artist’s previous publications now out of print, this much-anticipated volume is an important addition to the literature on this great Spanish master.
This beautifully designed and produced volume brings together one hundred of Sorolla’s major paintings, selected by his great-granddaughter Blanca Pons-Sorolla, the foremost authority on the artist. Benefiting from close proximity to the artist and his personal archives, she presents an in-depth essay that explores Sorolla’s life, work, and remarkable international legacy.
With virtually all of the artist’s previous publications now out of print, this much-anticipated volume is an important addition to the literature on this great Spanish master.
- GenresArtNonfictionArt History
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 3, 2012
A lovely new catalogue of Sorolla's masterful paintings, separated into three periods of his career: Training and Development (1880-1903), Artistic Prosperity (1904-11), and Creative Maturity (1912-20). Written by his great-granddaughter, Blanca Pons-Sorolla, it includes excerpts from his letters to his wife, Clotilde, and interesting glimpses into his relationship with his family as well as his incredible creative drive. I had no idea that his exhibition at the Hispanic Society of America included 356 paintings (I am proud of myself if I complete 30 for a solo exhibition). Nor did I realize that the exhibition, his first in New York City in 1909, was attended by 169,000 people and sold 20,000 catalogs in one month!
The writing is interesting and beautifully illustrated with examples of masterworks in many subjects and genres from each period. I only wish that the exploration of his life and relationships was a bit more in depth, and that all of the works mentioned in the text included plates, even just black and white reproductions. I devoured the book in one morning, and I will definitely be revisiting it over and over to enjoy the lush, full-page reproductions of this exceptional artist's work.
The writing is interesting and beautifully illustrated with examples of masterworks in many subjects and genres from each period. I only wish that the exploration of his life and relationships was a bit more in depth, and that all of the works mentioned in the text included plates, even just black and white reproductions. I devoured the book in one morning, and I will definitely be revisiting it over and over to enjoy the lush, full-page reproductions of this exceptional artist's work.
January 8, 2023
Ich lieeeeebe die Bilder! Vorbereitungslektüre zum Besuch von Emi in Valencia (daher kommt der gute), sehr informative und kompakte texte!
January 19, 2025
Primer cinco estrellas del año. Primer libro de este estilo leído. Precioso. Debilidad absoluta por Sorolla, por su amor y su devoción a la pintura y a su familia. Qué luz.
January 25, 2025
The love with which he paints Clotilde is everything I want.
That and his devotion to his children—María, Elena, Joaquín.
Señora de Sorolla in Black (1906) is astonishing. Overwhelming beauty. You feel his love for her in her eyes.
It is Clotilde in the black dress that made me purchase this collection—immediately one of my favourite paintings ever—but it is the depictions of his children I found surprisingly moving.
My Children, 1904
My Wife and Daughters in the Garden, 1910
Joaquin Sorolla Garcia Seated, 1917
There is something in these depictions that conveys everything I admire in a man and a father:
Emotional strength, calm, and care.
Financial strength and professional application.
A beautiful home.
Indulgence and appreciation of life’s joys and beauty—the beach, a garden, trees, light, food, clothes.
Fidelity—there is not a hint of womanising and the devotion to Clotilde evident in his letters is absolute; I think in her he found an ideal that was unassailable. He calls her his “perpetual idea”. Like a thought there is no way around.
Love and regard for his children into their adulthood. His children are not to gratify him with their dependent love. He paints them well into their adulthood, proud of their development.
I enjoy his beach frolicking scenes but feel more moved by the images of his home garden. He manages to capture the sense of a breeze by brushstrokes on some foliage being out of focus; others clear and precise.
Sea Idyl, 1918
Garden of the Sorolla House, 1920
That and his devotion to his children—María, Elena, Joaquín.
Señora de Sorolla in Black (1906) is astonishing. Overwhelming beauty. You feel his love for her in her eyes.
It is Clotilde in the black dress that made me purchase this collection—immediately one of my favourite paintings ever—but it is the depictions of his children I found surprisingly moving.
My Children, 1904
My Wife and Daughters in the Garden, 1910
Joaquin Sorolla Garcia Seated, 1917
There is something in these depictions that conveys everything I admire in a man and a father:
Emotional strength, calm, and care.
Financial strength and professional application.
A beautiful home.
Indulgence and appreciation of life’s joys and beauty—the beach, a garden, trees, light, food, clothes.
Fidelity—there is not a hint of womanising and the devotion to Clotilde evident in his letters is absolute; I think in her he found an ideal that was unassailable. He calls her his “perpetual idea”. Like a thought there is no way around.
Love and regard for his children into their adulthood. His children are not to gratify him with their dependent love. He paints them well into their adulthood, proud of their development.
I enjoy his beach frolicking scenes but feel more moved by the images of his home garden. He manages to capture the sense of a breeze by brushstrokes on some foliage being out of focus; others clear and precise.
Sea Idyl, 1918
Garden of the Sorolla House, 1920
November 10, 2025
My wife is recently into visual art and that artist was a favorite of her, so I did have a look at that book. Wouldn’t really consider it reading, but anyway… The art was awesome. The way he plays with light and textures is amazing. Aliso the quality of the pictures in the book was really good. An artist I never heard of but I’m glad to have discover it and I would recommend you do so to.
March 21, 2021
This text is full of beautiful illustrations and a nice balance of biographical information and chronological content. It was very interesting to see how much painting Sorolla completed from year to year.
April 20, 2022
A terrific history of a great painter written by his grand Daughter
July 28, 2023
Buena calidad de imágenes, y me gusta mucho que incluya pedazos de sus cartas a su mujer Clotilde, creo que muestra un lado personal necesario para entender mejor la obra del artista .
November 11, 2025
Very beautiful book featuring Sorolla's paintings and history!
May 30, 2022
4.5 stars
February 2, 2016
Excellent book about Sorolla's life, his artwork, bibliography of writers about his life, artwork.
Large color reproductions of Sorolla's greatest works of art for me to study.
Though I did have to sift thru all the writings in the book to find the info about the how, way Sorolla did his art work, about his style of art. Reading the books, searching the pages was well worth my time, note - taking as I discovered how Sorolla created, what paint colors he used, his influences, & what made him so great.
Tough to read about how Sorolla overworked himself, sometimes working in his studio when he should have been resting or sleeping at night. I'm guilty of same behavior as it is hard to break the fire of creating a work of art, wanting to work on a canvas now, not waiting until tomorrow.
Studying Sorolla's artwork, & the way he created it, has helped me learn to be a better artist.
Now, off I go into my studio to work on a canvas ready for painting...
Large color reproductions of Sorolla's greatest works of art for me to study.
Though I did have to sift thru all the writings in the book to find the info about the how, way Sorolla did his art work, about his style of art. Reading the books, searching the pages was well worth my time, note - taking as I discovered how Sorolla created, what paint colors he used, his influences, & what made him so great.
Tough to read about how Sorolla overworked himself, sometimes working in his studio when he should have been resting or sleeping at night. I'm guilty of same behavior as it is hard to break the fire of creating a work of art, wanting to work on a canvas now, not waiting until tomorrow.
Studying Sorolla's artwork, & the way he created it, has helped me learn to be a better artist.
Now, off I go into my studio to work on a canvas ready for painting...
Read
July 24, 2016Sorolla's art is so vivid it must be seen in colour and this book has it in spades! The prints themselves are enough to enjoy, but with photographs of his family and his art-making this book is such a wonderful overview. But then we have the biography which just cuts through all the fluff of a life and tells the story directly. And that's not all! We then get a chronology of main events! If I were writing a book of an artists' s life this is the standard I would aim for! Beautifully written, wonderfully illustrated.
July 15, 2014
Page after page of large, quality reproductions of Sorolla's most luminous paintings. I keep this book close at hand and frequently page through the beach scenes of Spain's Valencian coast. Sorolla's expert and unique play of light and shadow is mesmerizing.
September 13, 2014
Put a painting by Sorolla in your book and you instantly gain an extra star from me. Great narration and great, large colour images. Made several copies of the paintings. Thank you once again, library.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews