Carnations

Spanish artist Joaquín Sorolla painted this floral study with the brilliant light and loose brushwork that made him Spain's leading Impressionist. The carnations glow with Mediterranean sunlight, their petals rendered with confident, rapid strokes.

Sorolla was celebrated for capturing the effects of sunlight, particularly in beach scenes and garden subjects. His virtuoso handling of paint influenced Spanish art for generations. The work is at the Museu de Belles Arts de València.