Sorolla Museum

The partnership between Iberdrola and the Sorolla Museum, which began in 2015, reflects a shared commitment to the preservation and promotion of Spain's cultural heritage. Through this partnership both institutions are helping to protect the artistic legacy of the renowned Valencian painter Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923) and to bring his work to an ever-wider audience, thereby promoting access to culture and knowledge. 

This partnership drives initiatives that strengthen the conservation, dissemination and promotion of one of Spain's most iconic cultural institutions, helping to ensure that Sorolla's legacy continues to inspire present and future generations. 

Celebrating our 125-year history with the Sorolla Museum

At the Iberdrola Group we are celebrating our 125 light-years, a milestone on the long journey that has led us to become Europe's leading electricity company by market capitalisation and one of the two largest in the world. To mark the occasion, we have organised an extensive programme of activities, including art exhibitions and initiatives in partnership with the Sorolla Museum.

Sorolla Museum: the house where the artist's legacy lives on

The Sorolla Museum is one of Spain's most unique cultural venues. Housed in what was once Joaquín Sorolla's home and studio in Madrid, the museum preserves much of the original atmosphere in which the painter lived and created his work during the final years of his life. Opened as a museum in 1932 thanks to a donation from his widow, Clotilde García del Castillo, it stands as an exceptional testament to the life and creative world of one of the most important Spanish artists in history. 

This cultural centre is regarded as one of the best-preserved artist-house museums in Europe. The Sorolla Museum allows visitors to explore the original spaces that inspired the painter, from his studios to the gardens designed under his supervision. As well as housing the most important collection of Sorolla's works, the museum plays a vital role in the conservation, research and promotion of his legacy, establishing itself as a leading institution for understanding Spanish art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The partnership between Iberdrola and the Sorolla Museum: main exhibitions

At Iberdrola we are helping to preserve the Sorolla Museum's heritage by sponsoring exhibitions dedicated to Joaquín Sorolla and his work.

‘Sorolla in 100 Objects’

Exhibition dates: 14 May 2024 to 29 September 2024 

The exhibition Sorolla in 100 Objects, curated by Covadonga Pitarch, sought to present visitors with a collection revealing the man behind the artist: father, husband, friend and individual, with all his lights and shadows. 

The exhibition was structured around 16 chapters or sections centred on one hundred everyday objects, some curious, others rare or exotic, all of which had been preserved by the artist's family. Highlights included letters, photographs, drawings, paintings and Sorolla's passport, as well as objects collected by the artist himself, such as those now housed in his library: a 10th-century Caliphal capital, a 15th-century relief depicting the Holy Trinity and original pieces of furniture from what was once his home in Madrid. 

Find out more about 'Sorolla in 100 Objects' (Spanish version) Enlace externo, se abre en ventana nueva.

'Sorolla: Torment and Devotion’

Exhibition dates: 13 July 2021 to 9 January 2022

The exhibition 'Sorolla: Torment and Devotion', held at the Sorolla Museum and sponsored by the Iberdrola España Foundation, offered a unique insight into one of Joaquín Sorolla's lesser-known facets: his religious painting. Through more than 45 works, many of them from private collections and ecclesiastical institutions, the exhibition traced the artist's formative years in Valencia, Rome, Assisi and Madrid, revealing how themes of faith, popular devotion and religious customs played a fundamental role in his early career as a painter. 

Find out more about 'Sorolla: Torment and Devotion' (Spanish version) Enlace externo, se abre en ventana nueva.

‘Sorolla: Tireless Draughtsman’ 

Exhibition dates: 26 November 2019 to 30 August 2020

The Sorolla Museum hosted the exhibition Sorolla: Tireless Draughtsman, sponsored by Iberdrola. The exhibition brought together more than a hundred of his drawings, which allowed visitors to see the evolution of his draughtsmanship and, whilst not exhaustive, highlighted the aspects that most preoccupied him in his artistic practice. 

This exhibition aimed to highlight this little-known facet of the painter's work, as Sorolla submitted drawings to his exhibitions on only a handful of occasions and did not usually display them in his studio for his clients to see. Furthermore, the fragility of the drawing materials and the extreme sensitivity of the paper to light make this exhibition an extremely delicate and therefore exceptional one. You can view the press pack in Spanish here [PDF]. 

Find out more about ‘Sorolla: Tireless Draughtsman’ (Spanish version) Enlace externo, se abre en ventana nueva.

‘Capturing Impressions: Sorolla in Small Format’ 

Exhibition dates: 12 February 2019 to 29 September 2019 

At Iberdrola we also supported the exhibition 'Capturing Impressions: Sorolla in Small Format', which featured 227 oil paintings on very small pieces of cardboard or small panels, which Sorolla referred to as "sketches", "stains" or "notes of colour". 

These small panels – of which he painted nearly 2,000 – allowed him to quickly capture ideas or impressions of things he had seen that went beyond simple sketches and became works in their own right, and in which his creative freedom is evident. The works came from the museum and from 44 private collectors, both national and international, some of which had never been exhibited publicly. You can view the press pack in Spanish here [PDF]. 

Find out more about ‘Capturing Impressions’ Enlace externo, se abre en ventana nueva.

'Sorolla and fashion'

Exhibition dates: 13 February 2018 to 27 May 2018 

In 2018, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Sorolla Museum hosted the exhibition 'Sorolla and Fashion'. Organised jointly by both institutions and in collaboration with Iberdrola, the exhibition ran simultaneously and complementarily at both venues and explored the role of fashion in the work of Joaquín Sorolla. 

The exhibition featured 70 paintings from national and international museums and private collections – some of which had never been exhibited publicly before – alongside a selection of period dresses and accessories. You can view the press pack in Spanish here [PDF]. 

Find out more about ‘Capturing Impressions’ Enlace externo, se abre en ventana nueva.

'Sorolla in Paris'

Exhibition dates: 23 November 2016 to 19 March 2017 

Iberdrola also sponsored the temporary exhibition 'Sorolla in Paris,' which broke the gallery's attendance record with a total of 116,510 visitors. 

Following its run at the Kunsthalle Museum in Munich and the Musée des Impressionnismes in Giverny, the exhibition arrived in Madrid organised by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport and the Sorolla Museum Foundation. 

'Sorolla in Paris' brought together a total of 66 paintings that the artist himself had selected for display at major international exhibitions. The exhibition thus traced the Valencian artist's career, from his first trip to Paris in 1885 to his success at major group exhibitions and his establishment as a painter of the high society of his time. You can view the press pack in Spanish here [PDF]. 

Find out more about ‘Sorolla in Paris’ (Spanish version) Enlace externo, se abre en ventana nueva.

'Sorolla: The Art of Light'

Exhibition dates: 14 July 2015 to 18 January 2016 

In 2015, to coincide with the International Year of Light, Iberdrola sponsored 'Sorolla: The Art of Light', an exhibition featuring 54 works organised into five sections – Towards the Light, Shadow and Reflection, Filtered Light, Glare and Art of Light – exploring the different effects of illumination that earned Sorolla his reputation as the "painter of light". You can view the press pack in Spanish here [PDF]. 

Find out more about ‘Sorolla: The Art of Light’ (Spanish version) Enlace externo, se abre en ventana nueva.

The Sorolla Museum: a cultural space undergoing transformation

The Sorolla Museum is undergoing a decisive phase of transformation thanks to an ambitious expansion and refurbishment project that will adapt this iconic cultural space to the needs of the 21st century. The project involves modernising its facilities, improving accessibility, refurbishing the exhibition and reception areas and introducing new services that will enrich the visitor experience. The team will carry out all of this whilst preserving the historical and heritage value of the house and gardens that were once the artist's home whilst ensuring their conservation for future generations. 

This renovation process reflects a vision of innovation, the future and sustainability. Upgrading the infrastructure will enable more efficient resource management, improve comfort and universal accessibility and foster new ways of engaging with Sorolla's legacy through more dynamic and inclusive cultural initiatives. In this way the museum is establishing itself as an institution capable of engaging with the present day, combining heritage protection with a commitment to creating cultural spaces that are more sustainable, open and equipped to meet the challenges of the future. 

Visiting the Sorolla Museum

A visit to the Sorolla Museum offers the chance to discover the work and creative world of one of the great masters of Spanish painting through a tour of his former home and studio, preserved as a unique space where art, architecture and nature coexist. The museum provides the opportunity to explore the permanent collection, stroll through its iconic gardens and enjoy a cultural programme that includes temporary exhibitions and activities aimed at different audiences. 

In addition to in-person visits, the museum provides visitors with various digital resources that facilitate access to and understanding of its collections and content, helping to bring Joaquín Sorolla's legacy to an ever-wider audience. For up-to-date information on opening times, exhibitions, activities and services, visit the Sorolla Museum's official website. 

Visit the Sorolla Museum website Enlace externo, se abre en ventana nueva.