Shining Light on Sorolla’s Early Life

Trying to track down Joaquin Sorolla in Valencia is mostly a thankless task, and it may be better to focus on his paintings, some of which can still be seen in Valencia, and give us an insight into this ‘master of light’ as he is known.

He was born in Calle de las Mantas, 8 on February 27th 1863, although the house is no longer standing, despite the plaque that shows the spot where it used to be.

We get luckier if we want to see the church where he was baptised, Santa Catalina, in the square of the same name, a popular destination now for tourists very close to the cathedral.

The family soon moved to Calle Barcelona, 6, where at the tender age of 2, his parents both died during a cholera epidemic, quite common in that epoch.

This house has also disappeared, to be replaced by an ugly modern building.

Sorolla and his sister were adopted by their mother’s sister Isabel Bastida and moved in with her in what is today Calle Juan de Austria, 20, although once again the original house has been replaced. The Street at the time was known as Calle Llarga de la Sequiola.

Between 1876 and 1878 Sorolla studied at the Artisans School, which at the time was located in calle de las Barcas, now called called Joaquin Sorolla, 8.

Afterwards he began his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in what is now the Carmen Cultural Centre, the old Carmen Convent.

To be continued….