Two colors of Spain in historical and cultural context
In this study two opposing ideological and artistic ideas of the image of Spain are considered in a historical context on the basis of the paintings of two remarkable artists - Ignacio Suloaga and Joaquin Sorolla, whose creative work was closely connected with the search for national identity and the reflections of Spanish intellectual generation of ' 98. The "black Spain" of Suloaga reflected the perception of the national image in the dilemma of "what to do?" - to europeanize Spain or to leave her a Patriarchal, keeping the tradition of genuine Castilian values, "life against reason and enlightenment" (the thesis of Miguel de Unamuno). "White Spain" of the impressionist Joaquin Sorolla is close to the thesis of Ortega y Gasset about the openness of Spain to the world, "achieving the synthesis of life and reason", reconciliation of the "two Spain". Both artists, representing different aesthetic trends of the early twentieth century - tremendizm and costumbrism, were able to penetrate deeply into the Spanish theme, to reflect the "essence of Spain."