Sorolla spent the summer of 1906 in Biarritz on the southwest coast of France with his family. In this panoramic view from high above the sandy beach, María, his eldest daughter, holds a parasol at left while his youngest, Elena, wears a bright red jacket, framed against the cool blue water. His wife Clotilde is likely the third figure from left, her lavender scarf fluttering in the breeze.

The artist's free, dynamic brushwork inspired critics to call him the "Spanish Sargent." This may have contributed to his success amongst American audiences as well; many of his most important works are now in the United States.

---