Joaquín Sorolla and the Glory of Spanish Dress

Book excerpt: This handsomely produced catalogue is published to accompany an exhibition at Queen Sof�a Spanish Institute that analyzes the rich history of Spain's regional clothing styles through the monumental paintings of Valencian artist Joaqu�n Sorolla y Bastida (1863-1923). Celebrated as a painter of light and hailed as a "modern of the moderns" by famed collector Duncan Phillips, Sorolla was one of the most successful artists of his time, lauded for his Manet-esque depictions of Spanish festivals and costume. Here, for the first time, Sorolla's colorful, sunlit paintings are shown side by side with the types of costumes they portray, in a spectacular display of Spain's traditional dress in all its glory. The exhibition was conceived by Spanish Institute Chairman, Oscar de la Renta (who contributes a foreword to this volume), and curated by Vogue's Andr� Leon Talley.