Carolyn DiPaoloAn exhibition of paintings by Spanish master Joaquin Sorolla
“Sorolla and the Sea,” the newest exhibition at the Norton Museum of Art, will warm you like the sun.
Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida, 1863-1923, was one of Spain’s most celebrated artists. He is known for his large-scale works often portraying an idyllic Valencia seaside and often painted outdoors.
- Impressionist Claude Monet called Sorolla, “the painter of light above all other.”
The Norton exhibition features about 40 works on loan from the Hispanic Society Museum & Library. It is the first time the collection has left New York in more than 100 years.
Show stopper: Norton visitors may already know Sorolla’s giant “Beaching the Boat (Afternoon Light),” depicting fishermen guiding teams of oxen to bring in boats at the end of the day. The work has been on display there since 2021.
- What was a snapshot of the painter’s work is now a centerpiece of a show that traces Sorolla’s artistic journey.
What they’re saying: “It is an incredible opportunity to debut these paintings in Florida, let alone in a coastal location that so closely aligns with Sorolla’s own surroundings when he created these works,” said Rachel Gustafson, the Norton’s chief curatorial operations and research officer. “We hope our visitors walk away with a deeper understanding of this important Spanish painter.”
If you go: “Sorolla and the Sea” is on view at the Norton in West Palm Beach through April 13. Admission is $18; seniors (60+), $15; students with valid school ID, $5; children 12 and under, free. Art After Dark on Fridays: adults and seniors, $10.
- While you are there, check out the Norton’s other new exhibition: “Strike Fast, Dance Lightly: Artists on Boxing.”
I am a co-founder, writer and editor for Stet News. I am also a former senior editor at The Palm Beach Post. For 20 years, I oversaw some of the most consequential stories published by the paper, including the “Corruption County” reporting project that led to multiple arrests of elected officials. I am a member of the Leadership Palm Beach County Class of 2013. I live in West Palm Beach with my husband, Bill DiPaolo.
