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Portrait of the Artist
Portrait of the Artist
Artist: Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish, 1863 - 1923)
Date: 1907
Dimensions:
Unframed H 62 x W 50 cm (H 24 1/2 x W 19 11/16 in.)
Medium: Oil on canvas
Credit Line: Gift of the artist, 1911.
Place Made:Spain
Period: Modern
Culture: Spanish
Not on View
DescriptionJoaquín Sorolla y Bastida (Valencia, 1863 – Madrid, 1923)
Self-portrait, 1907
Oil on canvas, 62 x 50 cm.
Signed at right: A la Hispanic Society of America J Sorolla 1907
The Hispanic Society of America, New York, A28
PROVENANCE: Gift of the artist to the Hispanic Society, 1911
In this vivid self-portrait, rendered with bold brushstrokes, Joaquín Sorolla stares out with an intense gaze. Behind him stands a wall filled with small framed works, presumably the many studies or “apuntes” which he has created. One of two self-portraits by Sorolla held by the Hispanic Society, this is the one which the artist presented to the museum in 1911. (The other came as a donation from his friend and fellow painter, William Starkweather [1879-1969], who had received it from the Spanish artist [inv. A1948].) When Sorolla made his gift to the museum, he enjoyed a close relationship with Archer Milton Huntington and the Hispanic Society. Huntington had already sponsored the successful exhibitions of his work in the United States and had commissioned two monumental projects from Sorolla for the Hispanic Society, the “Vision of Spain” and a series of portraits of distinguished Spanish figures of arts, letters, and sciences.
For an artist who would portray so many celebrated figures, Sorolla still finds a striking and distinctive way to present himself. With its strong presence, this self-portrait also differs from the other, more urbane image he created of himself where he appears simply yet elegantly in a brown suit with a red tie and gold stickpin. Perhaps more notably, Sorolla chose not to depict himself in his studio, or painting, unlike the many contemporary photographs which showed him vigorously at work. Nonetheless, Sorolla alludes to his profession by including his works behind him. Sorolla’s emphatic brushwork allows him to create a forceful image which is notably different from the studio photographs that were taken at the same time. In particular, the ones made in New York by W A. Cooper create a more subdued effect even when they show approximately the same angle. Other photographers such as Kurt Hielscher (1881-1948) or Anna Christian (1876-after 1953), chose to juxtapose the powerful figure of the painter with the setting. Here, instead, Sorolla has adopted a tight format which effectively focuses attention on his piercing glance. PL
Texto en Español:
En este vivido autorretrato, resuelto con audaz pincelada, Joaquín Sorolla vuelve hacia fuera una mirada intensa. Tiene detrás una pared revestida de pequeñas obras enmarcadas, presumiblemente los muchos estudios o apuntes que ha hecho él mismo. Es uno de los dos autorretratos de Sorolla que posee la Hispanic Society, el que el artista donó al museo en 1911. (El otro ingresó como donación de su amigo y colega pintor William E. B. Starkweather [1879-1969], que lo había recibido de sus manos, inv. A1948). En esa época Sorolla mantenía una relación estrecha con Archer Milton Huntington y la Hispanic Society. Huntington ya había patrocinado sus triunfales exposiciones en los Estados Unidos y le había encargado dos projectos monumentales para la Hispanic Society, la “Visión de España” y una colección de retratos de españoles distinguidos en las artes, las letras y las ciencias.
Para un artista que iba a retratar a tantas figuras consagradas, todavía encuentra Sorolla una forma notable y diferente de presentarse. Este autorretrato de fuerte presencia se diferencia también de la otra imagen más pulida que hizo de sí mismo, donde aparece vestida de manera sencilla pero elegante con traje marrón, corbata roja y alfiler de oro. Tal vez sea más interesante observer que aquí ha optado por no mostrarse en su estudio ni pintando, al contrario que en las muchas fotografías contemporáneas que le muestran entregado al trabajo con energía. No por ello, sin embargo, deja de aludir a su profesión con las obras insertas en el fondo. Su pincelada enfática le permite crear una imagen potente, notablemente distinta de las fotografías de estudio que se le hicieron en la misma época. En particular, las que le hizo W. A. Cooper en Nueva York transmiten una impression más apagada aun mostrando aproximadamente el mismo ángulo. Otros fotógrafos, como Kurt Hielscher (1881-1948) o Anna Christian (1876-despues de 1953), decidieron yuxtaponer la recia figura del pintor a su entorno. Aquí, en cambio, Sorolla ha escogido un formato denso que centra eficazmente la atención en su mirada penetrante. PL
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
TRAPIER 1932 Elizabeth du Gué Trapier, Catalogue of Paintings (19th and 20th Centuries) in the Collection of The Hispanic Society of America, 2 vols. New York: The Hispanic Society of America, 1932, vol. 1, pp. 380-81
PANTORBA 1970 Bernardino de Pantorba, La vida y la obra de Joaquín Sorolla: Estudio biográfico y crítico, 2nd ed. [Madrid]: Extensa, 1970, p. 162, no. 932
MULLER AND BURKE 2004 Priscilla E. Muller and Marcus B. Burke, Sorolla: The Hispanic Society. New York: The Hispanic Society of America, 2004, pp. 97 and 228-29
CODDING ( ED. ) 2017 Mitchell A. Codding (ed.), Tesoros de la Hispanic Society: Visiones del mundo hispánico. Madrid, New York: Museo Nacional del Prado, The Hispanic Society of America, 2017, pp. 386-87, no. 201
Self-portrait, 1907
Oil on canvas, 62 x 50 cm.
Signed at right: A la Hispanic Society of America J Sorolla 1907
The Hispanic Society of America, New York, A28
PROVENANCE: Gift of the artist to the Hispanic Society, 1911
In this vivid self-portrait, rendered with bold brushstrokes, Joaquín Sorolla stares out with an intense gaze. Behind him stands a wall filled with small framed works, presumably the many studies or “apuntes” which he has created. One of two self-portraits by Sorolla held by the Hispanic Society, this is the one which the artist presented to the museum in 1911. (The other came as a donation from his friend and fellow painter, William Starkweather [1879-1969], who had received it from the Spanish artist [inv. A1948].) When Sorolla made his gift to the museum, he enjoyed a close relationship with Archer Milton Huntington and the Hispanic Society. Huntington had already sponsored the successful exhibitions of his work in the United States and had commissioned two monumental projects from Sorolla for the Hispanic Society, the “Vision of Spain” and a series of portraits of distinguished Spanish figures of arts, letters, and sciences.
For an artist who would portray so many celebrated figures, Sorolla still finds a striking and distinctive way to present himself. With its strong presence, this self-portrait also differs from the other, more urbane image he created of himself where he appears simply yet elegantly in a brown suit with a red tie and gold stickpin. Perhaps more notably, Sorolla chose not to depict himself in his studio, or painting, unlike the many contemporary photographs which showed him vigorously at work. Nonetheless, Sorolla alludes to his profession by including his works behind him. Sorolla’s emphatic brushwork allows him to create a forceful image which is notably different from the studio photographs that were taken at the same time. In particular, the ones made in New York by W A. Cooper create a more subdued effect even when they show approximately the same angle. Other photographers such as Kurt Hielscher (1881-1948) or Anna Christian (1876-after 1953), chose to juxtapose the powerful figure of the painter with the setting. Here, instead, Sorolla has adopted a tight format which effectively focuses attention on his piercing glance. PL
Texto en Español:
En este vivido autorretrato, resuelto con audaz pincelada, Joaquín Sorolla vuelve hacia fuera una mirada intensa. Tiene detrás una pared revestida de pequeñas obras enmarcadas, presumiblemente los muchos estudios o apuntes que ha hecho él mismo. Es uno de los dos autorretratos de Sorolla que posee la Hispanic Society, el que el artista donó al museo en 1911. (El otro ingresó como donación de su amigo y colega pintor William E. B. Starkweather [1879-1969], que lo había recibido de sus manos, inv. A1948). En esa época Sorolla mantenía una relación estrecha con Archer Milton Huntington y la Hispanic Society. Huntington ya había patrocinado sus triunfales exposiciones en los Estados Unidos y le había encargado dos projectos monumentales para la Hispanic Society, la “Visión de España” y una colección de retratos de españoles distinguidos en las artes, las letras y las ciencias.
Para un artista que iba a retratar a tantas figuras consagradas, todavía encuentra Sorolla una forma notable y diferente de presentarse. Este autorretrato de fuerte presencia se diferencia también de la otra imagen más pulida que hizo de sí mismo, donde aparece vestida de manera sencilla pero elegante con traje marrón, corbata roja y alfiler de oro. Tal vez sea más interesante observer que aquí ha optado por no mostrarse en su estudio ni pintando, al contrario que en las muchas fotografías contemporáneas que le muestran entregado al trabajo con energía. No por ello, sin embargo, deja de aludir a su profesión con las obras insertas en el fondo. Su pincelada enfática le permite crear una imagen potente, notablemente distinta de las fotografías de estudio que se le hicieron en la misma época. En particular, las que le hizo W. A. Cooper en Nueva York transmiten una impression más apagada aun mostrando aproximadamente el mismo ángulo. Otros fotógrafos, como Kurt Hielscher (1881-1948) o Anna Christian (1876-despues de 1953), decidieron yuxtaponer la recia figura del pintor a su entorno. Aquí, en cambio, Sorolla ha escogido un formato denso que centra eficazmente la atención en su mirada penetrante. PL
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
TRAPIER 1932 Elizabeth du Gué Trapier, Catalogue of Paintings (19th and 20th Centuries) in the Collection of The Hispanic Society of America, 2 vols. New York: The Hispanic Society of America, 1932, vol. 1, pp. 380-81
PANTORBA 1970 Bernardino de Pantorba, La vida y la obra de Joaquín Sorolla: Estudio biográfico y crítico, 2nd ed. [Madrid]: Extensa, 1970, p. 162, no. 932
MULLER AND BURKE 2004 Priscilla E. Muller and Marcus B. Burke, Sorolla: The Hispanic Society. New York: The Hispanic Society of America, 2004, pp. 97 and 228-29
CODDING ( ED. ) 2017 Mitchell A. Codding (ed.), Tesoros de la Hispanic Society: Visiones del mundo hispánico. Madrid, New York: Museo Nacional del Prado, The Hispanic Society of America, 2017, pp. 386-87, no. 201
Accession Number: A28
In Collection(s)