In 1900, Spanish naturalist painter Joaquín Sorolla was awarded the Grand Prix at The Paris Universal Exhibition. When American billionaire Archer Milton Huntington meets him, he will make the greatest commission of his life: The decoration of the Hispanic Society of America in New York, “Vision of Spain.”
Joaquín Sorolla’s unique style captivated the world of international art; he was the first Spanish artist to achieve success in the United States.
In this insightful documentary, Sorolla’s granddaughter, Blanca Pons Sorolla; artist Antonio López; and art historians Felipe Garín and Tomás Llorens; together with filmmaker José Luis Alcaine; reveal the keys of naturalist painting, the artist’s language, and his achievements in the European and North American art markets.
The President of the Hispanic Society, Mitch Codding, the museum’s chief conservationist, Markus Burke, and researcher Cristina Domenech, analyze Sorolla’s relationship with his patron and Hispanic Society founder, Archer Milton Huntington. The effort of creating the 14 large panels that compose Visions of Spain ultimately caused Sorolla a stroke that incapacitated him to work. He died three years later without having seen his work exhibited.
