Flowers bloom again a century later as light fades. Today, August 10, marks the 100th anniversary of Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida, the Valencian master whose luminous work continues to illuminate seas, skies, and faces around the globe. His enduring Mediterranean vision threads through countless portraits and scenes, including those of his beloved Clotilde García.
In the afternoon, relatives and cultural representatives gathered to honor the painter in Valencia. They placed blossoms at Sorolla’s gravesite in the General Cemetery of Valencia and at the site where his daughter rests.
Sorolla is celebrated as Valencia’s most universal painter and one of Spain’s most admired figures. His works have commanded impressive sums at auction, underscoring the lasting value of his contribution. He trained at the Craftsmen’s Schools of Valencia, where a gifted boy saved some early paintings, and later studied at the San Carlos School of Fine Arts.
Valencia supported his growth with a state scholarship, enabling study in Rome. He later settled in Madrid, traveled to Paris where he earned acclaim, and visited New York, among other cities. While in the United States, he commissioned the monumental Visions of Spain, expanding his international reputation.
60 years old and a kidney illness
Reports from Levante-EMV, part of Grupo Prensa Ibérica, note that Sorolla died at age 60 at his daughter’s home in Cercedilla, Madrid. The cause was pyelonephritis, a kidney infection. The painter’s health had been fragile for years, including seizures in 1920 that left him with partial paralysis and made painting more challenging.
This is how Sorolla died: the infection that claimed him
Relatives and members of the Sorolla family, along with representatives of the Sorolla Museum in Madrid and the Sorolla Foundation, gathered at the Valencia cemetery to remember him. Also present were key museum leaders and coordinators who have stewarded his legacy for generations.
Valencia’s cultural leaders, including the City Council, spoke about Sorolla’s wish to rest in his home city, a place that inspired much of his work. They emphasized that his legacy endures in Valencia and beyond, through his paintings, his house museum, and the institutions that promote his art.
The centennial program of Sorolla is part of official efforts to celebrate a century since his passing. The initiative has been recognized as an event of extraordinary public interest through December 2024.
Anniversary commemorations
In Valencia, the Fine Arts Museum recently opened a private Sorolla Room that houses the painter’s collections. A temporary exhibition featuring the Masaveu Collection, Sorolla in Black, will continue through September with the Bancaja Foundation.
To present Sorolla from new angles, the Valencian Navy organized an immersive exhibition titled Sorolla, a New Dimension, featuring virtual reality and 360 degree rooms during the summer.
On the centennial, the National Currency and Stamp House issued a coin collection illustrated with Sorolla’s iconic works. A special coupon featured the Arrival of the Boats, and a ticket with La bata rosa was issued by the State Lotteries and Kumaar.
The City Council arranged guided tours, exhibitions, and workshops in Sorolla’s memory. Works such as Walking Along the Sea and Children on the Beach continue to embed themselves in the public imagination.