Sorolla in Xàbia
THE PAINTER JOAQUÍN SOROLLA IN XÀBIA
The great Valencian painter Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863 – 1923) discovered Xàbia for the first time on 7th of October 1896. He came here in search of inspiration in the terraces of the vineyard plantations in order to create several panels for which he had been commissioned with a motif related to grape cultivation. Upon his arrival in Xàbia, he discovered a unique landscape, with major contrasts of sea and mountain, crystal clear waters and bright sunshine. He summarized his first impressions in the following telegram:
Jávea is sublime, immense, the best place I know for painting. It surpasses everything. I will stay for a few days. You were here for two months. Joaquín.
Joaquín Sorolla spent a total of four stays in Xàbia and the last visit only lasted one day:
- 1st Stay (From 6th to 14th of October 1896): He created 5 paintings with landscape motifs and studies for his panels.
- 2nd Stay (From 4th to 21st of June 1898): This was the stay that posed the most difficulties since the Casa del Cable (Telegraph Office) and Xàbia were under surveillance during the Spanish-American War; he also suffered from the bad weather and finally he suffered severe stomach aches and headaches. However he still managed to paint 11 canvasses with landscape themes of Xàbia.
- 3rd Stay (From 5th of August to 18th of October 1900): On this occasion, Sorolla returned with his wife and three children to focus his artwork on the raisin sector, fishermen scenes and the Xàbia landscape with a production of 35 artworks.
- 4th Stay (From 10th of July to mid-September 1905): Once again, he returned with his family and on this occasion, his works featured landscape paintings, rock motifs and family portraits. Above all, his paintings of swimmers are especially noteworthy, which depict transparencies, the refraction of water and reflections with their multiple colours. He produced a total of 82 paintings.
- 5th Stay (13th of January 1919): Sorolla made a quick and simple visit without making any paintings.
In the end, Sorolla created 136 paintings, known to date, and over 200 drawings which depicted the Xàbia landscape, the work of making raisins, portraits of family members and other characters as well as traditional seafaring motifs, where his paintings of swimmers and rocks are especially noteworthy All his paintings were painted in diverse sites in Xàbia such as the Port, the Caleta del Racó, Cabo San Antonio, Cala Tangó, La Grava, El Montañar, El Arenal and El Portitxol.
The Xàbia artworks are primarily conserved in the Sorolla Museum (Madrid) as well as in other national and international museums and private collections.
In celebration of the 125th anniversary of Joaquín Sorolla’s arrival in Xàbia, the Town Council of Xàbia has rendered a tribute to Joaquín Sorolla by means of the following initiatives:
- Presentation of the prestigious award: Premi 9 d’octubre Vila de Xàbia 2021 to the Sorolla Foundation
- Inauguration of the photography exhibition: Sorolla en su paraíso (Sorolla in his paradise) organized by the Sorolla Foundation.
- Book presentation of Xàbia en la vida y obra de Joaquín Sorolla (Xàbia in the life and work of Joaquín Sorolla) written by David Gutiérrez Pulido, winner of the town’s first Investigation Award: Premi de Investigación Vila de Xàbia.
- Inauguration of the Paseo Joaquín Sorolla thus renaming the Promenade of La Grava.
- Inauguration of a sculpture of Joaquín Sorolla created by Javier de Benito in the Paseo Joaquín Sorolla.