Street Discovery Solves Sorolla Painting Mystery
A man thought he had struck gold with an abandoned painting’s nice frame, but he learned the painting itself was worth much more to the family that had lost it.
It’s one thing to inadvertently buy a valuable painting at a thrift store. Picking one up in the street is another degree of luck entirely. As surprising as it sounds, the second happened to Andrés Hurtado of Murcia, Spain, while he was visiting Seville with his family on the weekend. He saw a painting lying in the street: a peaceful beach scene with boats in the distance and sunlight reflecting off the water.
Hurtado said that the gilded frame was what caught his attention. Assuming the painting had been thrown away, he decided to take it.
Back in Murcia, he began researching his new find. With help from AI tools, he realized that it could be the work of Spanish painter Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923), known as “the master of light” and celebrated for his Impressionistic beach scenes. Hurtado contacted an auction house in Madrid and sent them pictures. They confirmed that it was a Sorolla, and it could be worth up to €150,000 (about $171,000).
Hurtado soon learned that the painting had immense sentimental value, too. He found out that it had been recently reported missing by a family in Seville. They had put out requests for help finding the painting, referring to it only as “a painting of great sentimental value” and not mentioning a title, the artist, or a monetary value. A photograph provided by the owners showed Hurtado it was the same item he had found. He contacted the police and reported the discovery. The painting has been returned to the family, who thanked Hurtado and offered him a reward.
Sorolla has been catching attention this side of the Atlantic, too. As Kovels Antique Trader reported in May, the Hispanic Society Museum & Library presented an exhibit of his work from May 18 to June 1 at Sotheby’s New York headquarters. The society is celebrating the centenary of Sorolla’s mural cycle Vision of Spain this year, and will feature his painting Señora de Sorolla in a Spanish Mantilla in an upcoming exhibit on mantillas.
Hurtado’s incredible discovery invites more international interest in Sorolla’s artwork and serves as a reminder that his significance extends beyond museum walls.
For more Kovels Antique Trader content on the work of Joaquín Sorolla, check out the article below.
