IRONY IS IN THE WASH

In this 1871 painting by Seville artist José Jiménez Aranda, a group of women are working on their laundry.

The folksy characters of the washerwomen still conform to the Romantic trend of reporting on the lives of ordinary hard-working citizens, but the narrative now demands more insight into the psychology of the characters and the irony of the situation.

** Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas (KarlaDarocas.com)

ART SAVES SPANISH TOWN AND SURPRISES THE WORLD!

Looking for an inspiring story? How about the unique concept of an "open-air" art gallery that transformed a deprived village of 323 inhabitants in the Spanish province of Castellón, and is now part of a worldwide circuit of street art exhibitions?

Report by Karla Darocas, Hons. B. A. (KarlaDarocas.com) for SpainLifestyle.com

THE MYSTERY OF EL GRECO'S PAINTING OF SAINT SEBASTIAN

In his illustrious career, El Greco painted Saint Sebastian three times. The last of his three portraits from 1610 to 1614 found its way into the Prado Museum - but in two parts. Why?

Report by Karla Darocas, Hons. B. A. (KarlaDarocas.com) for SpainLifestyle.com

EL GRECO'S TINY TRIBUTE TO THE FATHER OF THE SACRED FAMILY

Why is El Greco's painting, the Flight into Egypt, c. 1570, so special? It is only a small oil painting on a prepared pine panel. It is mainly a landscape depiction with the Holy Family as figures in it. It shows El Greco's newly acquired knowledge of the Venetian style of painting, which was popular at the time due to the great Venetian master Titian.

* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons. B.A. (KarlaDarocas.com)

A TRIBUTE TO A VICTORIOUS VALENCIANO - José de Ribera (1591-1652)

When I lived in Xàtiva in 2001, the town where my husband was born, I walked past the statue of José de Ribera every day. Our flat was on the same street as the basilica and the old hospital where my husband was born, and at the other end was the statue of José de Ribera, or Jusepe, as he is called in the Valencian language. 

José de Ribera was born in Xàtiva in 1591. His father was Simón Ribera, a shoemaker by trade, and his mother was Margarita Cucó. Although there are many documentary and bibliographical sources describing many aspects of Ribera's life and work, there is nothing about his childhood and youth in Xàtiva.

Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas (KarlaDarocas.com) (c) SpainLifestyle.com

FAMOUS ANCIENT VALENCIANOS - Peter Paschal

Painting by Valencian Master * Jerónimo Jacinto de Espinosa 

Peter Paschal was born in Valencia on the east coast of Spain in 1227. Peter's parents were devout Mozarabites (Iberian Christians) who lived under Muslim rule and paid an annual tax called the jizyah. The Mozarabites and the Muslim Arabs lived side by side and even spoke a similar language, Mozarabic. Let us learn more about this interesting historical era. 

Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas (KarlaDarocas.com) (c) SpainLifestyle.com

A GENUINE MIRACLE OF NATURE * La Mujer Barbuda by Jusepe de Ribera

Since returning from our fabulous four-day SpainLifestyle Baroque & Renaissance Road Trip, many of my friends and colleagues have asked me what the highlight of the trip was?

While there were many personal highlights, from an artistic and academic perspective, I think it was the painting La Mujer Barbuda by Jusepe de Ribera at the Prado Museum in Madrid, which I finally got to see up close. It had recently been transferred to the Prado from the Museo Fundación Lerma in the Hospital de Tavera in Toledo.

Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons.B.A. for SpainLifestyle.com 

THE ORIGIN OF COCA-COLA IS SPANISH?

A small Valencian family distillery in the old stables of the Palau del Marquès de Malferit, could be the origin of one of the emblems of capitalism: Coca-Cola. At least that's what every visitor who drives through Aielo de Malferit, a municipality of almost 5,000 inhabitants in the Vall d'Albaida, believes. There, it is claimed that an ancient drink still marketed in the region, Nuez de Kola-Coca, inspired pharmacist John Pemberton to invent the famous American soft drink in 1886. Let's find our more...

Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas (KarlaDarocas.com) (c) SpainLifestyle.com 

MARVEL IN THE MYSTERY AND FACE THE FAMOUS RELIC OF ALICANTE

Spain is indeed a wonderful place to explore religious relics. An adventurous traveller does not necessarily have to be dedicated to a relic to discover its resting place, but on your journey you can be enlightened by the wonderful art and architecture that surrounds it.

One such great example is the Catholic relic of Santa Faz (Holy Face), protected and venerated in the monastery of Santa Faz in the municipality of Santa Faz in Alicante. This relic is the destination of an annual pilgrimage attended by more than 260,000 relic lovers.

Since visiting monasteries and searching for relics are both great ways to spend a Sunday morning, I set out to witness the historical past and admire a few mysteries myself.

* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons. B.A. (c) no part of this text or photos may be replicated

DECORATIVE AND DISTINCTLY HISPANIC IN SUECA

One of the most original, eclectic and stylish architectural genres of late 19th century Spanish Modernism is the decorative and distinctively Spanish "Neomudéjar" style. The use of bricks as the main constructive element gives this architectural method its versatility and the power to be beautiful. Let us take a look...

Article by Karla Ingleton Darocas, (KarlaDarocas.com) (c) SpainLifestyle.com