In 1929, Salvador Dalí (1904 - 1989) worked in Paris with Spanish film director and fellow student Luis Buñuel (1900 - 1983) on a film project so bizarre that it became legendary. It was the first film to deliberately shock the audience.
FAMOUS ANCIENT VALENCIANOS - Peter Paschal
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| Painting by Valencian Master * Jerónimo Jacinto de Espinosa |
Peter Paschal was born in Valencia on the east coast of Spain in 1227. Peter's parents were devout Mozarabites (Iberian Christians) who lived under Muslim rule and paid an annual tax called the jizyah. The Mozarabites and the Muslim Arabs lived side by side and even spoke a similar language, Mozarabic. Let us learn more about this interesting historical era.
FABULOUS FLAMBOYANT GOTHIC CLOISTER * CONVENT OF SANT DOMINGO
The convent of Sant Doménec or Sant Domingo is one of the most important Gothic buildings in the city of Valencia. It is not often open, except when exhibitions are held in the great hall. Let us take a look inside...
Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas (KarlaDarocas.com) (c) SpainLifestyle.com
THE UNSOLVED MYSTERY OF GOYA'S MISSING SKULL
THE ENIGMA
Dionisio Fierros (1827-1894) was a Spanish Romantic painter who painted a “Vanitas”, an allegorical still life, for the Marquis of San Adrián of Navarre in 1849.
It was not a very robust work of art, especially in an era of great romanticism and drama.
It was a traditional "vanitas" with a skull, which was the most common symbol of the transience of life, the futility of pleasure, and the certainty of death. It was a human skull, depicted in a three-quarter view, and it had no jaw. It rested on a green carpet. The skull had many dental defects. The colour used was a roasted yellow.
It would have been a rather boring 44 x 37 cm oil painting on canvas if it had not had three words written in sepia ink on the back of the wooden frame: "Skull of Goya".
A GENUINE MIRACLE OF NATURE * La Mujer Barbuda by Jusepe de Ribera
Since returning from our fabulous four-day SpainLifestyle Baroque & Renaissance Road Trip, many of my friends and colleagues have asked me what the highlight of the trip was?
While there were many personal highlights, from an artistic and academic perspective, I think it was the painting La Mujer Barbuda by Jusepe de Ribera at the Prado Museum in Madrid, which I finally got to see up close. It had recently been transferred to the Prado from the Museo Fundación Lerma in the Hospital de Tavera in Toledo.
Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons.B.A. for SpainLifestyle.com
WATCH DESTINO * SENSATIONAL SURREALIST MAGIC
THE ORIGIN OF COCA-COLA IS SPANISH?
Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas (KarlaDarocas.com) (c) SpainLifestyle.com
MARVEL IN THE MYSTERY AND FACE THE FAMOUS RELIC OF ALICANTE
Spain is indeed a wonderful place to explore religious relics. An adventurous traveller does not necessarily have to be dedicated to a relic to discover its resting place, but on your journey you can be enlightened by the wonderful art and architecture that surrounds it.
One such great example is the Catholic relic of Santa Faz (Holy Face), protected and venerated in the monastery of Santa Faz in the municipality of Santa Faz in Alicante. This relic is the destination of an annual pilgrimage attended by more than 260,000 relic lovers.
Since visiting monasteries and searching for relics are both great ways to spend a Sunday morning, I set out to witness the historical past and admire a few mysteries myself.
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons. B.A. (c) no part of this text or photos may be replicated
DECORATIVE AND DISTINCTLY HISPANIC IN SUECA
Article by Karla Ingleton Darocas, (KarlaDarocas.com) (c) SpainLifestyle.com
SOROLLA'S GREATEST CHALLENGE WAS FACING THE LIGHT OF NATURE
Although outdoor painting was very popular in Sorolla's day, it was only after the turn of the century that he really became addicted to it. Why was painting outdoors so exciting and risky for Sorolla? But also, why was light so important in general? Do you want to understand more?
Article by Karla Darocas, Hons. B.A. (KarlaDarocas.com) (C) SpainLifestyle.com.
IMPRESSIVE SAN MIGUEL STANDS PROUD AT FINE ARTS MUSEUM OF VALENCIA
The Valencia Fine Arts Museum houses some of the most important paintings in Spanish history. As soon as you enter the main gallery, a monumental painting by San Miguel Arcángel takes your breath away.
This work of art has been in the museum's collections for a long time and has been seen by many generations of Valencians and foreigners. Because of its size, it is very captivating and immediately grabs your attention. Let us take a closer look...
Article by Karla Darocas, Hons. B. A. Fine Arts (KarlaDarocas.com)
Saint Lucia: Early Christian Martyr or Valencian Fashion Model?
In the Fine Arts Museum of Valencia you will find this magnificent representation of one of the most interesting virgin saints of the biblical world.
This Lucía de Siracusa, however, is a jewel of the Valencian Renaissance and shows all her devotion in a wonderfully embroidered silk mantle.
Article by Karla Ingleton Darocas (KarlaDarocas.com)
JUAN DE RIBERA * ARCHITECT OF EVICTION
Juan de Ribera (b1532-d1611) was the Archbishop and Viceroy of Valencia.
He used all his civil and religious power to pressure Philip III to expel the Moors, which was accomplished in 1609.
Ribera despised the Moriscos as heretics and traitors, a dislike he shared with much of the Christian population of Valencia. Let's take a Look...
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons. B.A. (KarlaDarocas.com)
PONDER PROVINCIAL PRIDE FROM MEDIEVAL TO MODERN IN MURLA
Lovers of fortresses and architecture will enjoy a trip to the mountains of Marina Alta for a close-up look at a proudly preserved parish church that bears witness to a precarious mediaeval past. Documents show that this castle/fortress became a Christian parish church in 1317.
The architectural structures of Murla range from mediaeval to modern and the historical past of the place is marked by cultural and structural grievances. All this makes Murla a very interesting place to visit. Let us take a look...
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons. B.A. (KarlaDarocas.com) (C) no part of this text or photos may be replicated)
SOROLLA FANS * A SPECIAL CENTENARY CELEBRATION
Fifty extraordinary original works by Sorolla, many of them masterpieces, from one of Spain's most important private collections, the María Cristina Masaveu Peterson Foundation, descendants of a powerful industrial family, will be exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts in Valencia from 29 June to 1 October 2023 to celebrate the centenary of his death.
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons. B.A. (KarlaDarocas.com)
BEAUTIFUL BAROQUE MASTERPIECE SHOWS OFF ITS ARTISTIC PECULIARITY IN PEDREGUER
In Pedreguer is the parish church of the Holy Cross (Iglesia de la Santa Cruz). It took me several months to get into this church, as I always went in at the wrong times. It is a popular church and not a tourist attraction, so you have to go when it is open for the congregation to enjoy their midday mass. I have found that Sunday at 11:30 am is the best time to get into this historic work of artistic architectural brilliance.
When I arrived, a well-dressed elderly lady took me by the hand and asked me about my interest in "her" church. I explained that I was an art historian and a teacher, whereupon she welcomed me and explained that "her" church was "very important".
I agreed and began my search for the artistic secret that makes this church so famous!
Let's take a look...
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons. B.A. (KarlaDarocas.com) (C) no part of this text or photos may be replicated)
LOVING SPANISH ART * JUST GOT EASIER
Finally, an annual State Museum Card provides unlimited access to fabulous art museums across the country.
Spain stands out for its impressive cultural heritage. Spanish art lovers can take a closer look at their favourite works and enjoy visiting the best museums again and again.
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas (KarlaDarocas.com)
HIGHLY DECORATIVE VALENCIAN GOTHIC ALTARS
ALTARPIECE OF THE SACRAMENTS by Gherardo Starnina
(Fine Arts Museum, Valencia)
(Fine Arts Museum, Valencia)
The International Gothic aesthetic became a highly decorative and recognisable style that dominated Europe in the late 14th and early 15th centuries.
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons. B.A. (KarlaDarocas.com)
WHO WAS ANDRÉ LAMBERT WITHIN THE HISTORY OF JÁVEA ARTS?
Many of you who have walked around Jávea on my Historical Jávea Walk will have passed a palace called Casa Lambert, preserved by the family of the French-Swiss painter André Lambert as an art school and exhibition space for community artists.
Who was Lambert, and why was he so involved in the cultural life of Jávea?
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons. B.A. (KarlaDarocas.com)
THE ARCHITECTURAL AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF MEDIEVAL XÀBIA
In the past, settlers from many different cultures have inhabited and enjoyed this exclusive place. The name could very well come from the Arabic "Xibìa", meaning "abundant".
Xàbia or Jávea is a Valencian coastal town in the Marina Alta region (Alicante). It has always been a privileged and strategic place on the Mediterranean, attracting ancient Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Christians.* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons. B.A. (KarlaDarocas.com)
VALENCIAN BAROQUE MASTERWORK BOASTS GREATEST FRESCO ART IN SPAIN
The parish church of San Nicolás de Bari and San Pedro Mártir in Valencia houses one of the greatest wonders of fresco painting that Spain has to offer. This historic parish church is located in the city centre and thanks to an extensive restoration in 2016, this place of worship is now a tourist and cultural showcase known as "The Sistine Chapel of Valencia".
This designation is not entirely logical, since San Nicolás is a single-nave church with six sections, twelve side chapels with buttresses (two of which are occupied by side entrance doors) and a magnificent polygonal presbytery facing east. The Sistine Chapel, on the other hand, is only one "chapel" in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope (Vatican City).
In any case, one statement is true: San Nicolás is indeed one of the best examples of the juxtaposition of 15th century Valencian Gothic architecture and a spectacular 17th century Valencian Baroque masterpiece. Let's take a look...
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons. B.A. (SpainLifestyle.com) (C) no part of this text or photos may be replicated)
THE PROFANE MYTHOLOGY OF VELAZQUEZ
Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) was one of the great geniuses of painting. He was a master of the Spanish Baroque style, heir to Tenebrism and an inspiration to the Impressionists.
The Sevillian created between 120 and 130 paintings, of which Las Meninas is the best known worldwide. The majority of his works are in the secular or profane Baroque style, with incredible portraits and mythological works.
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas for SpainLifestyle.com / (c) KarlaDarocas.com
GRAND SCALE CHURCH BRINGS CLASSICAL BEAUTY AND HISTORICAL LEGACY TO OLIVA
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| FRONT and BACK |
Oliva is a pretty and lively town on the outskirts of the province of Valencia in the region of Safor, which has a very beautiful, stylish and colossal neoclassical church in its centre.
The parish church of Santa María la Mayor represents the historical, cultural and spiritual development of the Valencia region in its architecture. Let's take a look...
GREAT NEWS * VALENCIA MUSEUM COLLECTION GROWS WITH MORE TREASURES
The collection of paintings, which has been considered a jewel of the Lladró family for years, will no longer be hidden from the eyes of the public!
I was delighted to hear that the descendants of the Lladró family, who have become famous and wealthy through their brand of luxury porcelain produced in their own factory in Tabernes Blanques since 1958, have donated their entire collection of paintings and artefacts to the city of Valencia.
In 1980, Juan Lladró began investing in art with his brothers José and Vicente. He did this on the advice of Alfonso Emilio Pérez Sánchez, the director of the Prado Museum between 1983 and 1991. His idea from the beginning was to make the artwork in the headquarters of the porcelain figurine company in Tavernes Blanques accessible to the public. And there it remained until the company was sold to an investment fund in 2017 and the art collection was moved to Madrid, where it is stored.
** Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons. B.A. Fine Arts (KarlaDarocas.com)
A ROMANTIC ETCHING OF JAVEA
I saw this etching of the fortress church of San Bartolomé on Facebook and no one was talking about it, so I grabbed it. At first, I thought it belonged to the Parisian artist Andre Lambert, who settled in Jávea around 1920 and made his paradise on the Costa Blanca a meeting place for international figures from the world of art and culture. His ashes have been part of the Portichol pine forests since his death in 1967
I looked at his etchings again, but this one did not belong to him. So after a lot of research on Google, I do not know who it belongs to.
** Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas (KarlaDarocas.com)
UPDATE * NOVEMBER 17, 2022
GREETINGS ALL,
That's it for the autumn term of classes. I ended the season on a Neoclassical note.
FACT * It makes a big difference when you know what you are looking at. I live for teaching people and giving them historical and artistic knowledge. Smile.
From January 2023, I will be teaching again in my classroom the Romantic genre.
I think I will drop the Zoom classes because I only had one paying Zoom customer and with only that one, it's hard to pay for the Zoom platform. I am sorry, but what can I do? So I will just teach in my classroom.
Romanticism is a very big chapter in Spanish history. It has a lot to do with Spain coming of age as a constitutional government and the second woman monarch, albeit short-lived. It also has a lot to do with Spain finding its way back into the world of art after Paris had taken over and dominated the artistic world. Spain wanted to return to the map of art, so to speak, and did so through Romanticism.
I begin with the Northern Romanticism, which was accompanied by great academic works of art in Madrid and Barcelona.
I have written a book about the most famous of these academic romantic paintings and the historical stories that inspired them. It's called PRIDE & PASSION AT THE PRADO, and it's a guide to the seven most famous historical romantic stories in Spain and the artists who immortalised them.
Then I will look at the more personal, fun and friendly romantic easel paintings that were created in southern Spain. The largest collection is in Málaga at the Carmen Thyssen Museum, which only opened in 2011
So for those studying with me next season, it's going to be a wild ride through the era of Spanish Romanticism, capped off with a great field trip to Málaga, so we can see this collection of incredible paintings up close.
We will also spend a day at the Museum of Malaga, which is the fifth-largest museum in Spain. It is actually two museums in one. On the one hand, there is the Department of Archaeology on the second floor and the Department of Fine Arts on the first floor.
I will also tell you about the beginnings of Picasso's works so that we can also visit his museum in Málaga.
*End*
*******APPRECIATE ART & CULTURE * LOVE SPAIN
Resource Books written by
Karla Ingleton Darocas
and published by
SpainLifestyle.com
Resource Books written by
Karla Ingleton Darocas
and published by
SpainLifestyle.com
* CLICK HERE *
*******
NEOCLASSICAL GREATNESS BEFORE THE AGE OF 50
Querol in his workshop - 1892
To achieve great things before the age of 50, you need a very positive attitude and the belief that you can achieve everything you set out to do.
Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas (KarlaDarocas.com)
This was the case with the neoclassical sculptor Agustín Querol y Subirats (Tortosa, 1860-Madrid, 1909), who achieved amazing success before he died at the age of 49.
MADRID'S Neoclassical Architecture & Monuments * tba
Madrid's most iconic buildings and landmarks date from the neoclassical era.
In this class we will study and analyse the royal neoclassical architectural style and the buildings and monuments that can still be seen in Spain's capital today.
NEOCLASSICAL TRUTH WITHOUT FLATTERY
The woman in this 1836 portrait is a Madrid aristocrat, Señora Delicado de Imaz. This woman is of an age and affluence where she is not interested in being painted as an object of desire, but as a woman of elevated society and enlightenment. She is a woman for whom wealth and power are more important than beauty and frivolity.
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons. B. A. (KarlaDarocas.com)
CLASS ART TRIP * MADRID 2022
DAY ONE
Under the last Spanish October skies of 2022, I and three of my students went to Madrid. Our goal was to spend Halloween in the national capital and explore all the works of Francisco Goya, who had been the topic of the month in my class. The legendary Prado Museum has the largest collection of Goya's works and I wanted my students to discover them all. But we had many other exciting experiences ahead of us!
I picked up my last student in Ondara, and we hit the motorway. Four and a half hours later, including a coffee break, we were at our hotel. We went to our rooms and put away our equipment. We refreshed ourselves with a snack in our rooms. One student had brought a kettle, so she could drink tea, which she did
We went down to the lobby and reception called our taxi. By 3.30pm we were at the Prado. I had the most delicious coffee in the museum cafeteria, and we went in search of Goya.
We did find him waiting for us at the ticket office.
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas. Hons. B. A. (KarlaDarocas.com)
THE EVOLUTION OF SPANISH NEOCLASSICAL ARTISTS & PAINTINGS * tba
IN THIS LECTURE we will look at the visual development of the neoclassical style of painting in Spain from the mid-18th to the early 19th century. We will look at the most important painters of this period and their defining works. We will also examine the elements that characterise Spanish Neoclassicism as an academic standard that would prevail into the modern era.
THE TERRIFYING SUBLIME * GOYAS MOST PROVOCATIVE PAINTINGS * TBA
In this lecture we explore a genre of visual art that Goya spearheaded. While others were painting beautiful pictures, Goya was breaking the boundaries of established art aesthetics. The paintings in this lecture were not commissioned works, but self-created, so Goya had the freedom to realise his ideas
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas. Hons. B. A. (KarlaDarocas.com)
JAVIER GOYA AND HIS DOG
DOGS OF LEISURE
After the war between Spain and the First French Empire, which began in 1808 with the invasion of Napoleonic troops and ended in 1814 with the return of Fernando VII to Spain and absolute power, Spain was destined to shake up its social structures with the emergence of diversified social classifications.
There were still the noble families with land titles and wealth, and of course the peasants who owned nothing, but now there was a newly emerged stratum in Spanish society based on the wealth created by trade, manufactures, modern agriculture, retail, professions such as doctors and lawyers, and even arts and crafts. These self-employed people and family businesses formed a social class based on materialism and the pursuit of respectability called the bourgeoisie.
The bourgeoisie was now the class of people who wanted companion dogs to demonstrate their ability to spend their leisure time, and so the miniature dog breeds made a big comeback. Small dogs were now a symbol of success, a happy family life and a home because they had a good income.
REVIEW * CLASS TRIP TO XATIVA FINE ART MUSEUM * OCT.16, 2022
Xàtiva was called Saetabis in Roman times and was famous for its linen fabrics, mentioned by the Latin poets Ovid and Catullus. Xàtiva is also known as an early European centre of papermaking. In the 12th century, the Arabs brought the technology for making paper to Xàtiva (Arabic: Shāṭiba). It is the birthplace of two popes, Callixtus III and Alexander VI, and also of the painter José Ribera.
We had the most beautiful weather to explore Xàtiva and visit the museums. After parking, we went to the main market to have a coffee, but nothing was open yet. We decided to try the main street where all the cafés were open, and the coffee was delicious. A marathon race was about to start, and we watched while enjoying our coffee.
GOYA KNEW THE SECRET TO THE WITCHES FLIGHT
Since Halloween and the Day of the Dead are very close to each other, who better to take up the theme of witches' flight than Francisco Goya. Traditionally, witches were believed to use a broom to move through the air and assist the coven in places far from their usual haunts.
The women accused of witchcraft were women who took care of the home: wives, midwives, servants, etc. And what do these people have in common? A broom! It stands to reason that the broom was a representation of women and thus became the witches' tool.
Goya, who knew the aspects of witchcraft well, captured the moment when an old witch initiates a young woman into these practises. But he also knew that it was not the broom that gave the witches their flying abilities.
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas. Hons. B. A. (KarlaDarocas.com)
ART TALK * GOYA GRANDEUR * tba
The second painting is called Saturn Devouring His Son. Goya painted this work directly on the wall of his house on the outskirts of Madrid between 1819 and 1823. It is kept in the Prado Museum in Madrid.
LECTURE * GOYA * LOS CAPRICHOS & LOS DISPARATES - TBA
LECTURE is about a particular phase in Francisco Goya's life that led to his prolific manifestation of etchings and aquatint caricatures.
GOYA ATTACKED ARRANGED MARRIAGES WITH HUMOUR
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (1746 - 1828) paintings, drawings and engravings reflected contemporary historical upheavals. He supported the new enlightened and educated spirit of the times by opposing arranged marriages. At that time, the function of marriage was merely a means to promote the economic or social success of the family and ignored the pain that people suffered.
** Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas. Hons. B. A. (KarlaDarocas.com)
REVIEW * CLASS TRIP * EXHIBITIONS * Sorolla Childhood & Paths of Modernity
The Bancaja Foundation exhibition of 86 paintings by Sorolla dedicated to childhood was wonderful. The exhibition rooms were spacious, and the walls were painted a muted grey so that the unique Mediterranean colours he used in his painting really stood out.
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas. Hons. B. A. (KarlaDarocas.com)
ART TALK * THE WITCHES OF FRANCISCO GOYA * TBA
In this TALK, we will explore four of Goya's witchcraft paintings that we can see in Spain.
HOW ETCHINGS ARE MADE
SOROLLA'S CHILDREN OF THE ROCKS
Children Looking for Shellfish, 1919
After completing the final panel for Vision of Spain, also known as The Provinces of Spain, a 1913-19 series of fourteen monumental paintings depicting the customs, costumes and traditions of the regions of Spain commissioned by Archie Huntington for the Hispanic Society of America, Sorolla returned to Madrid. He then travelled to Valencia at the end of July. From there he went on holiday to Mallorca, which he found "interesting but too dead", so he decided to move to Ibiza.
SOROLLA'S CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT
The Bath at La Granja, 1907
In the summer of 1907, Joaquín Sorolla painted in the gardens of La Granja de San Ildefonso, an idyllic setting he had briefly encountered the previous autumn when he went to paint the portrait of King Alfonso XIII. He found the gardens very beautiful to work in. On this summer trip, he enjoyed the company of his family and painted for long days for pleasure and in the fresh air, in a natural setting that invited experimentation.
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas. Hons. B. A. (KarlaDarocas.com)
THE ENLIGHTENED CHILDREN OF SOROLLA
Elenita at her Desk' (1898)
Now that the new school year is starting, it might be a good idea to take a look at Joaquín Sorolla and Clotilde as parents. They were both very concerned about their children's education, first at home, where Clotilde gave lessons, and later at the Institución Libre de Enseñanza.
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas. Hons. B. A. (KarlaDarocas.com)
LECTURE * SOROLLA CHILDHOOD - TBA
This LECTURE by Karla Darocas will prepare you to DISCOVER, ENJOY & APPRECIATE the works of Joaquín Sorolla featuring children.
NEWS & UPDATES - SEPT, 16, 2022
Greetings SpainLifestylers,
One more newsletter before I jump into the fray!!
NEWS & UPDATES - SEPTEMBER 15, 2022
Greetings SpainLifestylers,
What a hot summer. Wow. The hottest since records began, according to the weather services in the news
I managed to see two fabulous exhibitions at our wonderful Fine Arts Museum in Valencia, along with a few of my favourite art-loving women.
ART TALK * The Multiverse of Velázquez - TUESDAY, SEPT. 20, 2022 @ 5PM
ABOUT
Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (1599 - 1660) was one of Spain's most intelligent and talented painters in Spanish history.
This TALK will compare two paintings by Diego Velázquez in order to discover the secrets behind his evolution and genius.
1 - one of his first paintings, Christ in the House of Martha and Mary (1618), from his early years as a student in Seville. T
2 - Las Meninas or The Family of Felipe IV (1656), considered a masterpiece and the crowning achievement of his genius, painted at the end of his career.
News & Updates * June 11, 2022
Greeting SpainLifestylers,
It's been a busy summer already. I have organised a couple of fantastic art exhibitions, the highlights of which I will tell you about. I have also finished another great book for your educational pleasure.
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The most frequently reproduced motif throughout the history of art, especially in Western art, is the subject of the mother with child. Th... -
THE ENIGMA Dionisio Fierros (1827-1894) was a Spanish Romantic painter who painted a “Vanitas”, an allegorical still life, for the Marquis ... -
Greeting SpainLifestyle.com students and friends, During the pandemic, I started to research and lecture on dogs in Spanish Fine Arts. This...