In the Sea of Sorolla with Manuel Vicent
By Charlotte Stace
Dive into a seaside celebration of art and words at Palau Martorell with En el mar de Sorolla con Manuel Vicent, an exhibition explores the luminous world of Joaquín Sorolla, one of Spain’s most beloved painters. Known as the “master of light,” Sorolla built his career capturing fleeting moments of sun, sea and everyday life, painting en plein air with a freshness and immediacy that still feels modern today.
Rather than just hanging paintings on a wall, this exhibition invites us on a visual and literary journey curated by celebrated writer Manuel Vicent. It’s a dialogue between brushstrokes and storytelling that brings Sorolla’s Mediterranean scenes to vivid life.
Across the display, iconic works like Bathing Time, Valencia and The Little Sailing Boat capture sunlit beaches, fishermen, children and shimmering sea horizons, while Vicent’s narrative ties the imagery to broader themes of the sea, memory and the human experience by the water.