Joaquín Sorolla is considered one of the greatest exponents of Spanish Impressionist painting. To mark the centenary of the Valencian artist’s death, the Consell de Mallorca is presenting an exclusive exhibition of 12 works that the painter produced during his stay on the island. The exhibition, which forms part of the ‘Sorolla Travelling to paint’ project, will be held at the Museum of Mallorca from the 3rd of June until the 8th of September and is an event that, in my opinion, should not be missed, not only because it will give you the chance to see some beautiful works of art, but also because it can also be an opportunity to walk around and take a look at the places where these beautiful paintings were made: Valldemossa, Pollenca and Cala San Vicenç. Pollenca and Cala San Vicent, for starters.
Pollenca and Cala San Vicent are located in the north of Mallorca, approximately 1 hour from the centre of Palma, and I can assure you that both are well worth a drive along the extraordinary panoramic route that ends at Cap Formentor. Pollença is an old rural village, rich in history, monuments, beaches, towers and nature reserves. Cala San Vincent, on the other hand, is a small bay carved out of the rocks, which has a beautiful beach with cliffs overlooking the sea and which, despite its location and the opening of some bulky accommodation activities, is not an overcrowded place which has retained in part its charm of yesteryear. Looking out to the crystal clear sea, leaving modernity behind, you can still see the features of the rocks drawn by Sorolla in his famous painting ‘Cala de San Vicente’.
Valdemossa, on the other hand, is a beautiful unspoilt village only 20 km from Palma. Here too, the road to get there is very attractive, through forests and hills that cross the Tramuntana mountain range until you reach an elevation with a small village of uniformly coloured stone houses. Here time seems to have stood still, as in the paintings of master Sorolla, true travel sketches that the artist transfers to the canvas as if they were an indelible memory of the magnificence of the places visited. These works, which depict Mallorca and the Mediterranean, were Joaquín Sorolla’s last paintings, a beautiful testament to the time and beauty of the island in its everyday life. He was sent to Mallorca to rest and find peace after a life of work, study and travel, but in the face of the island’s great beauty it was impossible for him to remain impassive and not be enveloped by the colours of its sea and light, which moved him to create once again.
It is well worth seeing.