The Palacio Real is hosting an immersive exhibition in the Génova Galleries from 17 February to 24 September 2023, to mark the centenary of the painter’s death. For the first time ever, this exhibition combines Sorolla’s creations with digital recreations and sensory experiences through light, colour and movement. Furthermore, 24 of the painter’s original works will be on display, some of which are from private collections and have rarely been on display before.
The exhibition combines different spaces: some dedicated to enhancing sensory experiences through light, colour, and movement through new digital technologies; other exhibition spaces featuring original paintings by Sorolla selected for their quality and relevance in the painter's production; and a journey back in time to when Sorolla was living and working, through an exceptional virtual reality experience.
The exhibition occupies four galleries, hosting a total of 24 original works, most of which are from private collections and are on display for the first time ever. The selection represents the painter’s favourite themes, such as the sea, gardens, portraits and genre scenes. The works will engage in dialogue with state-of-the-art technological resources via image and sound, which will intensify spectators’ perceptions.
The four galleries in which the original works are on display are grouped into three themed areas. The first is Family Portraits. Sorolla painted around 700 portraits throughout his lifetime and they stand out for their originality, naturalness and the affection they exude. The second area is Royal Portraits and Gardens, with portraits of King Alfonso XIII in a Hussar’s Uniform and Queen Victoria Eugenia of Battenberg with an Ermine Mantle. Finally, The Sea, an element, along with the beach, which occupies the final two galleries. This is the painter’s best-known genre and the one that the public at large most appreciates, and it comprises the largest set of works by Sorolla.
Curated by Consuelo Luca de Tena, former director of the Sorolla Museum, and Blanca Pons-Sorolla, great granddaughter of the painter and an expert in his work, this exhibition has been put together with the collaboration of Karmachina, responsible for directing and producing the multimedia contents under the supervision of Gianfranco Iannuzzi, a pioneer in the creation of immersive experiences, with works present all over the world from New York to Tokyo.
This unprecedented exhibition has been developed by Patrimonio Nacional (Spain’s national heritage organisation), Fundación Museo Sorolla, and Light Art Exhibitions. The project is part of the programme of activities designed to commemorate the centenary of the painter's death (1863-1923), declared an event of exceptional public interest (AEIP) by the Ministry of Culture and Sport.
Image Credits:
- Strolling along the Seashore, 1909 - Joaquín Sorolla Bastida - Oil on canvas - Sorolla Museum Foundation, Inv. No. 834
- Maria in the gardens of La Granja, Segovia, 1907. Sorolla Museum
- Fishing Nets, Valencia, 1893. Private Collection
- First Garden in Casa Sorolla, Madrid, 1918-1919. Sorolla Museum
- Maria painted in the Pardo, Madrid, 1907. Private Collection
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