Before the Bullfight, c. 1900
Joaquin Sorolla y Bastidaexpand_more
Oil on canvasexpand_more
The John R. Van Derlip Trust Fund and gift of funds from Nivin MacMillanexpand_more 2021.19
On View in Gallery 355expand_more
Sorolla loved to paint his native town of Valencia, Spain, and was attentive to its cultural traditions and people. Here, he chose to paint a bullfight not by depicting the action in an arena but the anxious, hushed tension of the bullfighters and other participants before the spectacle. Sorolla takes us behind the scenes to the drama unfolding in the hearts of the people who have chosen to take part in this dangerous event. The artist understood the capacity for light to be meaningful, heightening the viewer’s senses and building tension. Here he deploys it flawlessly by contrasting the tense quiet of the foreground with the illumination that will reveal the violent event. In that peek into the packed arena, cheering crowds are a marker of the thrills to come.
Details
- Title
- Before the Bullfight
- Artist Life
- 1863 - 1923
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2021.19
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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