Sorolla Museum: Woman Trafficking

The canvas painting titled “Woman Trafficking” shows five women, young and an old one wrapped up in blankets and wearing traditional dresses. Sorolla´s use of dull colors of the walls and the blankets contrasting with the bright dresses with intricate detail and the somber mood of the moment tells a story. The innocent-looking young women are all dressed up in beautiful bright colored dresses, yet the old woman is in all black, likely indicating that there is some darkness she has or does. The painting is telling a story of unaware young beautiful women whose fate of being sexually trafficked for prostitution is known only by the old woman.

The painting is done symbolically representing nicely dressed young women sleeping and dreaming of a better life. Unfortunately, the only one aware of what is going on is the old woman who is awake. Sorolla also brings out the innocence and youth of the younger women very well by the gentle strokes used on the faces of the sleeping women. There is very little luggage being taken, which may indicate that these women are poor and also they do not have much of a choice in what is awaiting them. The room they are in is a small plain wooden one without any wall hanging, a likely indication that it is a quick transit space that is as emotionally detached as the women being trafficked.

The Sorolla museum in general was quite a piece of art. The garden outside is magnificent with the   various fountains of water and the green plants artistically planted in the compound. There are various art pieces in the museum, the shelves of ceramics in one room, family portraits spread out in the house of different members of his family, and very few that are likely for the Hispanic Society of America that were commissioned by Mr. Archer M. Huntington.

The furniture containing detailed design are in one room there are head sculptures of the male Sorolla generation. In the main room that used to be the study room, there are various religious collections and also a face sculpture of Joaquin Sorolla made for him by a friend.

Upstairs the rooms are darker and have a three-room exhibit of the ballet Sorolla, which are very captivating.  These are a special display for this year that have been produced by the Spanish National Dance Company.  There is great finesse in the body posture of the photographed dancers and strong engaging facial expressions that overall, give the whole museum such a unique character. The most surprising and commendable aspect of the museum in my opinion is that Sorolla´s main art focus is his family and his exquisite mastery of light. The aura and character of his work showed so much love and dedication to the family unit and opened a door to the mind of this genius.