Guipúzcoa

Guipúzcoa, painted in 1914 and now at the Hispanic Society of America, is one of the regional panels Sorolla produced for Huntington's ambitious Vision of Spain cycle — the fourteen large canvases (approximately 3.5 × 7 metres each) depicting the distinct landscapes, costumes, and customs of Spain's major regions that now hang in the Hispanic Society's library. Guipúzcoa, the Basque province on the Bay of Biscay, is represented through scenes of its coastal and rural culture — fishing communities, traditional Basque dress, and the particular quality of Atlantic northern light distinct from Sorolla's native Valencia. The Vision of Spain cycle was the most ambitious commission of Sorolla's career and the most complex logistical undertaking, requiring him to travel across Spain's regions, make studies in each location, and synthesise his observations into coherent large-scale decorations.

The Guipúzcoa canvas demonstrates Sorolla's ability to adapt his technique to Atlantic rather than Mediterranean light — the cooler, more diffused quality of northern coastal light requiring a palette shift from the blazing whites and pure blues of Valencia. Greens are more prominent, blues more grey, highlights less sharp. The broad, assured handling appropriate to a monumental decorative canvas is evident in confident, unhesitating strokes.