Spanish Masterpiece Resurfaces After a Century in Hiding
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- 11 Dec 2024
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A remarkable Spanish painting, Paris Boulevard by Joaquín Sorolla, has resurfaced after being hidden from public view for over a century. Created during Sorolla's visit to Paris between 1889 and 1890, the artwork captures the lively atmosphere of a bustling café at dusk, showcasing the artist's exceptional ability to depict light. Notably, Sorolla himself appears in the painting, seated at a table with a soldier and smoking a cigar.
The painting is part of an exhibition titled Sorolla, One Hundred Years of Modernity, currently on display at the Royal Collections gallery in Madrid. This exhibition features a total of 77 works by Sorolla, highlighting his unique style that distinguished him from other Spanish painters of his time. Paris Boulevard was first presented at the 1890 National Exhibition, where it garnered attention for its distinctive approach.
After being sold to a private collector in 1890, the painting vanished from public knowledge for more than a century. Recent investigative efforts revealed that it remained within the family of the original buyer, who has now permitted its exhibition. Blanca Pons-Sorolla, the artist's great-granddaughter and a curator of the exhibition, praised the painting's composition and technical execution, noting its photographic quality and the virtuosity of Sorolla's early work.
