These days I have been making small colour sketches, copying Sorolla's small-format paintings. I would especially like to practise his handling of the brush to achieve a looser brushstroke. Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923) was a Spanish painter renowned for his ability to capture light and atmosphere in his work. His impressionistic and luminist style is characterised by a vibrant use of colour and a technique that conveys a sense of immediacy and freshness, especially in his landscapes.
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Sorolla painted a large number of landscapes, being one of the masters at capturing natural light, especially in outdoor scenes, such as those of the Valencian coast, his summer resorts and the beaches of Spain. These landscapes, many of them painted in small format, were born with the intention of capturing the changing light and atmosphere at the right moment, something that his paintings convey with great force. The small format allowed him to work quickly, responding to changes in light and atmosphere, which is reflected in the spontaneity and freshness of his brushwork. These rapid studies were not only a technical practice, but also a way of connecting with the ephemeral essence of the landscape. Each of these paintings was an attempt to immortalise light in an almost fleeting manner, as if he were portraying the soul of an instant.
