A little over a week before Valentines Day, I broke away from the “salt mines” and experienced the exhibit of Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863-1923) at the Meadows Museum on the SMU Campus. I don’t get out to do this much, but usually when I do I am not disappointed.
Sorolla’s portrait of the 27th President of the United States William Howard Taft
I would not have gone or even given this exhibit a second thought had it not been for a couple of friends (Pete Quaid and Dan Spangler) inviting me to check it out. I was amazed at the depth in this painters work. The color, value and compositions of these many works were amazing. Some as large as a typical wall in most houses.
Sorolla was a Spanish painter who painted portraits, landscapes, as well as numerous works documenting the Spanish culture. He also painted many portraits in America, including a U.S. president, William Howard Taft.
Sorolla painting out in the open air
There was a section of old photographs in the exhibit that revealed the method Sorolla liked to work. After I looked at the photographic timeline, I got a better understanding of why there was so much depth in Sorolla’s work. First, he painted over 4,000 works in his lifetime, and second, much of his work was created outside on the spot, with local models. Often he would create many rough sketches of the subject or subjects and use them to help create a composition, and then move on the the painting process.
As mentioned earlier, this exhibit showcased some incredible works of art. The viewer felt as though he could step right into many of these images. The lighting conveyed in these paintings gave them as real sense of time and space. they were a slice of the life that Sorolla live both in Spain and abroad. After I spent several hours viewing this exhibit, I left the museum with my head hung down, feeling like a real “hack” in comparison to what I had just witnessed. 🙁
Painting of Sorolla’s Wife and Daughters in the Garden…with the dog, of coarse.
Although I know very little about the painter, I was impressed with his devotion to his wife and family. That’s a good thing. He painted several portraits of his wife and children, and sometimes the family dog. On one of the walls of the exhibit near one of the portraits of his wife was written an excerpt from one of Sorolla’s letters he had written to his wife, Seville, when he as abroad. It was dated Feburary 22-23, 1908 ―
“How unfortunate I would have been, if I had not loved you as I do. What sad times I would have when I did not paint! But even painting would not compensate me if you did not make me happy. God looks after me in all things. Many passionate kisses”
After reading this quote from Sorolla’s letter, I was reminded of the beautiful and awesome wife God has given me. Proverbs 12:4 says “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband…” and again in 18:22 “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD.”
The Sorolla’s exhibit, with the several portraits of his wife, reminded me of these solid truths about the gift of an excellent wife. My wife, Donna can be summed up in more words from Proverbs:
An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, And he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil All the days of her life. She looks for wool and flax, And works with her hands in delight. She is like merchant ships; She brings her food from afar. She rises also while it is still night, And gives food to her household, And portions to her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; From her earnings she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, And makes her arms strong. She senses that her gain is good; Her lamp does not go out at night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hands grasp the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor; And she stretches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, For all her household are clothed with scarlet. She makes coverings for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies belts to the tradesmen. Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: “Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all.” Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates. ― Proverbs 31:10-31
September Morning, Soft Pastels on Ampersand Board, 24 x 36. Portrait of my wife, Donna.
