Joaquín Sorolla

If yesterday was death, destruction, darkness and despair….today was hope, light, and more light.  El Prado had an exhibit of Sorolla that was deep and wide.  Most of El Prado is darkness - Goya and Greco and Velaszquez.  But thank Allah for Sorolla.  No blood, no crucifixes, no swords through arms.  It was as if the air had been brought back into the Prado….Sorolla’s use of light is just amazing.  The painting here, Madrè, was spectacular in its simplicity and complexity.  His technique of dealing with the white and tan hues of the bedspread, the green hues of the pillows,  and the blue/tan hues of the wall, while focusing all the bright color on his wife and daughter were just spectacular.  It is all love.  This is now one of my favorite canvasses.

The rest of the exhibition was spectacular.  His portraits had a life to them that I’ve rarely seen.  It was all his use of light.  This painting of his kids at the beach, just wonderful the way the light bounces off the folds in the dresses.

In any case, we have moved from the dark recesses of Spain’s past and pivoted on Joaquín Sorolla into Spain’s future of light and hope.  It’s fitting that the town is filling up with Gays and Lesbians from all over Spain as we all will celebrate equality and freedom on Saturday at the Spanish Gay Pride parade.  Alison and I left the kids in the air conditioning of our flat while we relaxed in our newfound airiness on a Madrid backstreet eating some tapas and drinking some San Miguel and Cava.  No matter how hot (and it was over 100 today) Sorolla has lightened my life!