Collection

Asturian Landscape (Paisaje asturiano)

Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida

Brooklyn Museum photograph

Object Label

Well known for his paintings of holiday makers on the beaches of his native Valencia, Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida departed from scenes of the Mediterranean coast in this verdant river landscape in the northern Spanish region of Asturias. The white stucco houses with their red tiled roofs contrast with the cool tones of the wide range of greens Sorolla uses to differentiate rolling fields and varieties of trees.

Caption

Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (Valencia, Spain, 1863–1923, Cercedilla, Spain). Asturian Landscape (Paisaje asturiano), 1903–1904. Oil on canvas, 24 3/8 × 37 1/4 in. (61.9 × 94.6 cm) frame: 35 × 47 1/4 × 4 in. (88.9 × 120 × 10.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Caroline H. Polhemus Fund, 14.559. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

Gallery

Not on view

Title

Asturian Landscape (Paisaje asturiano)

Date

1903–1904

Geography

Place made: Spain

Medium

Oil on canvas

Classification

Painting

Dimensions

24 3/8 × 37 1/4 in. (61.9 × 94.6 cm) frame: 35 × 47 1/4 × 4 in. (88.9 × 120 × 10.2 cm)

Signatures

Signed and dated lower left: "J. Sorolla y Bastida 1904"

Credit Line

Caroline H. Polhemus Fund

Accession Number

14.559

Frequent Art Questions

  • Can you tell me more about Joaquin Sorolla?

    Absolutely! Sorolla is generally classified as a Spanish Impressionist. He worked quickly and usually painted en plein air meaning outside.
    He is often called "the painter of light," he became known for capturing the shimmering Mediterranean light. This painting was made during one of his visits to Northern Spain, which is much more lush and green than the rest of the country.
    Is he the *only* Spanish artist to develop this technique?
    I don't believe so, although he was one of the most successful! I love his quote, "I feel that if I painted slowly, I positively could not paint at all."

  • Do you know the exact location of this landscape in Asturias?

    We don't have any notes one its exact location, but it likely represents a real view that the artist painted while out doors. Sorolla spent three summers painting in the Asturias region of Spain's northwest coast from 1902 to 1904. It was often called "Green Spain," for the lush growth resulting from year-round rainfall.
    Thanks.

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Artists and makers

Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida

6 works in the collection