FAMOUS ANCIENT VALENCIANOS - Peter Paschal

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. 

Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas (KarlaDarocas.com) (c) SpainLifestyle.com

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 ORIGIN OF COCA-COLA IS SPANISH?

A small Valencian family distillery in the old stables of the Palau del Marquès de Malferit, could be the origin of one of the emblems of capitalism: Coca-Cola. At least that's what every visitor who drives through Aielo de Malferit, a municipality of almost 5,000 inhabitants in the Vall d'Albaida, believes. There, it is claimed that an ancient drink still marketed in the region, Nuez de Kola-Coca, inspired pharmacist John Pemberton to invent the famous American soft drink in 1886. Let's find our more...

Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas (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)

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)

HIGHLY DECORATIVE VALENCIAN GOTHIC ALTARS

ALTARPIECE OF THE SACRAMENTS by Gherardo Starnina
(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)

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)

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)

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.

* 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)

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.

* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas. Hons. B. A.  (KarlaDarocas.com)

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)