Artwork
Isabelita and Thor
Isabelita and Thor is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1893, this oil on canvas by Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida depicts a young girl in a dark dress with a white lace collar standing beside a large black dog. The animal, fitted with a metal collar, clutches a red toy in its mouth. A plain wall and a faded red curtain form the backdrop, while a vase of flowers rests on a table to the right.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a domestic scene that juxtaposes the innocence of the child with the vitality of the dog. The red toy and the vivid flower arrangement introduce subtle color accents, suggesting playfulness and a quiet intimacy within an otherwise restrained interior setting.
Technique & Style
Sorolla employs loose, visible brushwork that emphasizes light and movement over precise detailing. This painterly approach creates a sense of immediacy, allowing surfaces to appear lively and slightly unfinished, a method aligned with late‑19th‑century tendencies toward capturing fleeting visual impressions.
History & Provenance
Since its completion, the work has been part of the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The painting entered the museum’s holdings through acquisition, where it remains on display as part of the institution’s representation of Spanish art from the period.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Eddy Cassatt (Edward Buchanan Cassatt)
Emperor Charles V as a child
Miss Beatrice Townsend
Beate Rosencrantz (1855-1925), g.m. Patrick Baron Seton
Portrait of artist’s won with a dog
Portrait of Prince Philip Prospero
Infantinna Margarita vaaleanpunaisessa puvussa, kopio Velázquezin mukaan
Little Girl in White (Queenie Burnett)
Portrait of a Boy
Mary Cabot Wheelwright
The Little Milkmaid
Portrait of the artist’s sister