Capturing the Moment

Joaquin Sorolla was a Spanish painter born on 27 February 1863 in Valencia. His parents died in 1865 due to cholera leaving him an orphan with her little sister concha. His uncle locksmith with his wife took care of them, providing all their parental support.

At the age of nine years, he went to school to get a primary art education. He came in touch with many teachers who were a great source of inspiration. But teacher Salustiano Asenjo and Cayetano Capuz were his favourite mentors. Later on, he went to Madrid to further his painting skills in the Museo del Prado. During his study in Madrid, he joined military service. At twenty-two years he got a scholarship. His grant was a great achievement to him as it enabled him to study a four-year painting course in Rome, Italy. On his arrival to Rome, Francisco Pradilla, the director of the academy, became his mentor. Besides, he also became friends with other artists in the Spanish academy. Jose Villegas Cordero, Emilio Sala and Jose Benlliure were his first friends.

In 1885 he went to Paris where he had his first exposure on modern painting artworks. Adolf von Menzel and Jules Bastien-Lepage were his influencers through the exhibitions. After three years he went back to Valencia to marry his spouse Clotilde Carcia del Castillo. They gave birth to three children together. In 1890 they went to Madrid were from there all his artwork changed. He began production of large canvases, historical, mythological, and social subjects. He made them for display in international exhibitions and salons in Madrid. Besides, he also did his art presentations in Berlin, Paris and Munich, Chicago and Venice.

He successfully ventured in this field and won many awards. The first one was the gold medal at the national exhibition in Madrid in 1892. From the prize, he became so famous, and he got the title "head of the new Spanish school of painting". Besides, due to his creativity, he also won medals in Paris exhibitions. He became a member of fine art academies of Paris, Valencia, and Lisbon.

In 1906 he made art on capturing the moment using oil and canvas with a dimensional length of 62 x 93.5 cm. The image represented his daughter holding a portable Kodak camera. He celebrates his daughter Maria with a camera. It appears like they are exchanging photography and painting. Its a reflection of the photographic quality and the sketch-like technique in his paintings. It shows how he got inspiration from the French impressionists. He continued with his work till his death on 10 August 1923.