Portrait of a lady
A PAINTING by Joaquín Sorolla has been acquired by the museum of fine arts in Valencia ( Museu de Belles Arts).
The ‘ Retrato de la tiple Isabel Brú’ was painted in 1904 and has been auctioned off by Christie’s New York for € 60,000. This oil on canvas shows a full length portrait of a woman in a blue and white dress.
According to museum director Pablo González Tornel, it combines Sorolla’s skills as one of the finest portrait painters of this time, and ‘ the way he could capture the light’, as is shown in his characteristic seascapes.
As well as increasing the museum’s collection of 45 works by the Valencian painter, it also meets the plan to have more pieces with female subjects and by female artists.
“It shows an independent professional woman who made a living from her work as an artist, a circumstance which revaluates this work from the turn of the century,” said Sr González.
sabel Brú was a famous Valencian stage performer who Sorolla painted at the peak of her fame, at the age of 30, as if she were on stage being applauded by her fans.
After being inherited by the artist’s sisters it has been passed between private collectors since 1940 until now and will be displayed in the museum’s permanent collection.
“The museum has not made an international purchase for decades and this has been possible thanks to the efforts and financial support of the regional department for culture and heritage,” he added.