Karla explains and gives details in a very easy way so you can understand. She makes the artist come to life, you feel as those you are living the moment." - Amanda Jane Rosser
LECTURE REVIEW - FRIDA KAHLO
LECTURE REVIEW - REMEDIOS VARO
"I discovered an important artist of the surrealist period that I had never heard of before. Dali, Andre Breton... Yes, but not Remedios Varo. How can such an artist, who had followed the same paths (Freud, Jung) not be known better than that? Thanks to Karla's enlightenment, we learned to interpret Varo's inspirations and her personal preoccupations. Karla linked this artist to her times, the context which is so important to understanding an artist's state of mind. I would recommend this lecture and Karla."
- Jo, Denia
LECTURE REVIEW - Javea Historical Walk
"I have been familiar with Javea old town for 25 years and know quite a lot about it but, when I saw the walk advertised and thought about the lectures of Karla’s that I had attended and thoroughly enjoyed pre lockdown I decided to take advantage. With Karla it’s the little details that stand out and display her research into and passion for her work. I loved learning about the indoor market, the poor mother superior who acted as look out, the hard wearing wood from Mobil, Bolufer and his super sailing boats, Sultan, diaphanous arches, tri lobe windows, the local artist influenced by Degas … the list is endless! Karla's teaching style explores the everyday details that bring the history to life." - Jean Halse, Javea
LECTURE REVIEW - SOROLLA - Part 1 & 2
"I loved the Sorolla lectures. We heard about his whole life from being a young boy. With the connection to Javea, you can recognise our local beaches. Sorolla was a very empathetic man paying tribute in his paintings to the way women worked very hard in all kinds of jobs. His very clever use of white paint in a lot of light and shade images was amazing. He invented his own unique style. I love the very clever method of being able to almost walk through the gardens and out through the wall onto the outside. His wife Clotilde was an amazing woman and a huge influence in his success.
Karla has so much knowledge which she shares with you." - Glenys Graham, Javea
REVIEW - SALVADOR DALI - Part 1 & 2
"Salvador Dali, for many years I have wondered about this artist and visited his museum in Barcelona. It's such a pity that Karla wasn't with me to explain the wonders of his work. Karla told us how to look into the paintings and see what he was thinking about when he painted, what most call, strange. Dali was influenced by Sigmund Freud, and many of his pictures depict his strange dreams. Dali was not only a surrealist artist, his paintings tell stories - some not so pretty - but really make you think differently.
In Karla's lectures, we are encouraged to ask questions. Without a doubt, I recommend Karla Darocas teaching." - Glenys Graham, Javea
REVIEW - JAVEA WALK
"Karla guided us around Javea with so much enthusiasm. She loves it when you ask questions. Although I had done this walk a few years ago Karla has found even more knowledge to share. Now when I go into Javea I think this is where all those years ago people fought to save the church and themselves. Even the door knockers' explanations are interesting. You could say Javea is battle scared but that makes for a story or many stories and only by doing the walk, you will hear them from Karla. Things are changing in Javea and not all for the good, some artifacts have been removed. The history in Javea is very important so let's hope it stays that way. Recently Javea town hall announced that there will be a life-size bronze sculpture of Sorolla in a realistic style. I love my hometown even more now. Karla's teaching is full of enthusiasm and a little fun too This walk is a 'must do'!" - Glenys Graham, Javea
REVIEW - Gandia
"Having attended the lecture the night before, the field trip made me pretty excited. The lecture was a lot to take in but it all fell into place once seeing everything. It was a very easy walk, with no hills to climb. Gandia is another fascinating place and a very important city having a palace, which we toured. In most of the rooms/halls, there are so many artefacts and again Karla described everything really well. I loved the art museum which has a huge collection of paintings and statues. I'm hoping to revisit Gandia and go into the art museum and palace again. Thank you Karla for the tour.
I love how detailed Karla's lectures are." - Glenys Graham, Javea
REVIEW - HISTORICAL JAVEA WALK
REVIEW - HISTORICAL JAVEA WALK
COURSE REVIEW - SOROLLA
"Fascinating learning about Sorolla, his wife, his great achievements with snippets of info on Javea that I didn’t know. I took the class because my friend Glenys told me about it and it sounded right up my street! Surprised I didn’t know about it before. The features that I liked about this experience were the relaxed atmosphere, great slides, and Karla is extremely knowledgeable. I would most definitely recommend her classes!" - Sally Marsden. Javea
LECTURE REVIEW - Shocking Social Realism
LECTURE REVIEW - Shocking Social Realism
COURSE REVIEW - PICASSO
How did you hear about SpainLifestyle.com and Karla Darocas? * | word of mouth |
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What was the name of class or book that you wish to review? * | Picasso |
REVIEW TIPS... what did you learn? was there anything unique that stood out? why did you take the class or read the book? * | I learnt a lot about Picasso that I never knew and thought it was fascinating |
What features did you like about Karla's teaching or writing style? * | I like the informal yet extremely informative teaching approach |
Would you recommend Karla Darocas teaching and books to others? * | yes |
FULL NAME & LOCATION * | Rhona Wells. Javea |
COURSE REVIEW - PICASSO
How did you hear about SpainLifestyle.com and Karla Darocas? * | A friend introduced me many years ago. |
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What was the name of class or book that you wish to review? * | Picasso |
REVIEW TIPS... what did you learn? was there anything unique that stood out? why did you take the class or read the book? * | I had always wondered what kind of man Picasso was so when I saw that Karla was doing the lecture I had to signup. We were taken on a very descriptive journey through his childhood to his death. We found out who influenced Picasso and why he changed his styles so many times. Karla showed us how he was a good businessman he gave the people what they wanted. Karla showed us so many images, how she remembers all this knowledge I'll never know. I could hardly wait until the next lecture, I was excited. Now I have more free time I will be attending lots more lectures becoming a regular student. |
What features did you like about Karla's teaching or writing style? * | Karla made us comfortable and answered our questions. |
Would you recommend Karla Darocas teaching and books to others? * | Of course, in fact I have done so already. |
FULL NAME & LOCATION * | GLENYS GRAHAM |
LECTURE REVIEW - 19th Century Andalusian School of Romanticism Landscapes & Costumbrismo
"I just took a class in Andalusian romantic period paintings. The Andalusian Romantic myth, Yes, I now know why, how and where it started and still exists today. Through the paintings of the 19th century, Karla clearly illustrated this truth. And lo and behold, tourism and tourists (again) helped create this truth. Thanks Karla. Your lecture illustrated the close link between history and painting. I recommend your lectures to everyone!"
THE EVOLUTION OF SPANISH NEOCLASSICAL ARTISTS & PAINTINGS
LETTER
"As we can't travel to Javea at the moment, we went to MNACC, Catalunya National Art Museum in Barcelona, the other day to look at the Baroque galleries. They have been redone and have a lot of paintings on loan from the Thyssen collection from Madrid. I was happy to see many El Greco's, Titian, Tiepolo, Canaletto. Having studied with you, the Zurbarán were particularly amazing. His Saint Francis of Assisi and Crucified Christ were incredible as was the Still life with Vessels. I remembered from your lecture. I kept telling Michael to look at his fabrics!
Anyway hope you are having a good week and see you at the next Neo-classical talk next weekend."
Best wishes
Denise
Spanish DOGS . Book Review
"In her book "Spanish Dogs", the historian and teacher Karla Ingleton Darocas, leads us through the fascinating history of dogs in Spain from the Neolithic to modern times by means of her extensive background knowledge and a companionable illustrative style.
I was particularly impressed by the role of dogs during one of the darkest chapters of Spanish history, the Conquista (conquest), when the Conquistadores used dogs of war as cruel and brutal weapons against the local populations.
A large part of the book illustrates the history of dogs in Spain with examples from paintings by Velázquez, Murillo, Goya, Sorolla and other well-known Spanish painters. Although we are familiar with many of these paintings, we may have hardly noticed the presence of dogs there, if at all. Karla directs our attention to these dogs and creates a picture of their role and importance in their respective epochs.
The last chapter, "Dog of Love", tells us about the intimate relationship between Pablo Picasso and his dachshund Lump. This beautiful story leaves us feeling optimistic regarding the future for dogs in a country where, unfortunately, much still needs to be done for animal welfare.
"Spanish Dogs" is a recommendation for all dog lovers and also those interested in Spanish history and art. Thanks to Karla for this great book, which is really worth reading."
* Marianne Pätzold, Colmenar Viejo (Madrid)
https://spanisharthistory.blogspot.com/2023/08/spanish-dogs-story-of-dogs-in-spanish.html
Evolution of 17th Century Spanish Classical Landscapes
"I am a regular student. I took the class on the Evolution of 17th Century Spanish Classical Landscape paintings.
I've always taken "landscapes" for granted - they're there in the background, OK. But I learned that they were NOT always there, they've got a history. I knew that landscapes give paintings "atmosphere", but I learned that you can read a landscape to understand the feeling of the painting.
I am now looking forward to seeing the evolution of the landscape and how it can give importance (or not) to the people, objects or actions depicted.
Karla opens my eyes to things we take for granted. I recommend her classes."
- Jo Jouas, Denia
17th Century Royal Portraits, Painters & Fashions
“A fascinating lecture from Karla on 17th Century Spanish portraits. As ever the listener learnt as much about Spanish history as Spanish art so making these lectures a must for anyone keen to learn more about Spain as their chosen home.
Karla is a great fan of the Spanish painter, Velasquez, and by the end of the lecture we were in agreement. We were shown how Velasquez’ style evolved over time and was shaped by the influences of the 17th Century Spanish court he lived in and by the developments in painting, especially from Italy where he studied in Naples. Like his contemporaries he began by showing his mastery of painting the textiles his sitters were wearing. However, at his height his skill was much more about showing the soul of his subject which is so affecting today as they gaze out at us hundreds of years later.
Karla took us through the work of several other Spanish artists of the time and it was here in particular we learnt so much about the fashions of the 17th Century Spanish court. The clothes were super-sumptuous and unimaginably expensive. They also were designed to engage with the viewer using signs and symbols which communicated meaning. The painting of little Prince Philip Prosper showed him wearing a host of charms to protect him in different ways but sadly it was all in vain and he died very young. There were other symbols too such as only royals could have a chair in view as only a royal could sit in the presence of royalty.
We were given several other insights into life at that time, at least amongst the very wealthy. Perhaps as ever beauty was associated with pain. Ladies cleavage was held in place by wooden planks in their dresses and there was no such thing as a left and right shoe – all shoes were the same.”
- Chris Wood, Jávea
17th Century Royal Portraits, Painters & Fashion
"I feel I learn something new at each lecture - not only the painting and artists, of course, but some cultural or historical point. In this lecture, I learned about damascene artwork used on the armors worn by royalty - typically Spanish. Karla opens up new doors each time. Always a pleasure."
- Jo Jouas, Denia
17th Century Spanish Royal Portraits, Painters & Fashion
"I took the class because I have always had an interest in the history of art - so always keen to learn more.
I liked the way that the lecture gave an insight into history generally interspersed with the history of the paintings and artists.
The following points were interesting like how in the portraits the Royals are leaning on chairs, the importance of dwarfs, the strange facial features caused by the Habsburg interbreeding, and about how Velasquez’s son-in-law worked with him, and so much more.
I like Karla's depth of knowledge of the subject and all of the surrounding non-art facts. I also appreciated her informality and the fact that she didn't just read from notes.
I will recommend her classes and speak to a friend."
- Michael Atkinson, UK
BOOK REVIEW - Spanish DOGS - History Book
We see them sitting under chairs in cafés, popping out of handbags and catching frisbees at the beach. If you are lucky enough to have a dog as a pet then they are there to welcome you home. We see them in today’s modern world and accept them just so.
17 c Profane Baroque
"This time the selection of profane paintings by masters such as: José Ribera, Diego Velazquez and Francisco Zurburán impressed me because of the clear Baroque elements like dark backgrounds and the engagement of the persons with the public. Many of the paintings looked like photographs in their stunning details of the human body, scenes in themselves, clothing and hairstyle ( mustaches). New in this lecture was the Still Life slot or 'Naturaleza muerta' in Spanish.
17c Profane Baroque
* Nicola Clark - U.K.
17c Profane Baroque
"I was absolutely overwhelmed with this art we saw today in Karla's class. The still life particularly I found beautiful and lifelike. The history behind these paintings was enlightening and very interesting.
I learn so much from these lectures, very fulfilling. Karla's incredible depth of knowledge and exciting teaching style makes the whole experience very memorable .
I Absolutely recommend her classes."
* Floradiane Santiago - Jávea
17c Profane Baroque
"Karla's lecture on 17th century Spanish baroque profane painting opened my eyes on painters known for their religious art (Velazquez, Ribera...).
We learned about other themes developed at the time: "everyday" life, poor children living in poverty because of the plague, still-life paintings popular with the "tourists" of the time.
A combination of art and history makes for an interesting and informative lecture. Bravo Karla."
* Jo Jous, Denia
BOOK REVIEW - Spanish DOGS - History Book
"It is timely indeed that Karla should write a book re-evaluating the role of dogs in Spanish art and culture. This current Covid lockdown has led to many of us deciding that we need dogs in our lives for companionship and for exercise. Yet again, the role of the dog in our society is being looked at afresh.
Karla’s book traces how the symbiotic relationship between human and dog goes back at least to Neolithic times. There is much evidence such as the careful and dignified burial of owner and dog together in many ancient cultures to suggest that dogs were, as Karla observes, seen as part wild, part human and part divine.
Some ancients saw dogs as having healing powers leading to dogs being laid on to the bodies of sick people or to lick wounds.
Small dogs were bred to be companions to children whereas 90 kg mastiffs in armour performed a valuable role in battle. The Romans at least were not averse to dog sacrifice to ensure a good harvest.
In many ways Karla demonstrates that dogs have always been more than just working animals.
As artists discovered painting on canvas dogs were co-opted into a story telling role. In a world without television or radio (let alone the internet) paintings were there to both entertain and inform.
In Velásquez’s painting of Jacob being told of the death at the hands of wolves of Joseph, his favourite son, it is a small dog barking at the bottom of the painting that reminds us that Joseph’s brothers are lying about the fate of Joseph. In one of Velásquez’s court paintings, we see him portraying very sweetly Felipe IV’s young son, Prince Felipe Prospero. In the painting Velásquez has placed a small spaniel next to the child on a throne-like chair. The Prince was very sickly and died at the age of four. Was Velásquez signalling that the dog had more chance of acceding to the throne than his little master?
Karla’s book is full of such insights.
We learn how small dogs were used to complete the nuclear family in a Catholic propaganda campaign where artists were charged with tackling licentious behaviour in the late 1600s.
Dogs often appear as symbols of fidelity in paintings celebrating a wedding. We also see how the treatment by artists of hunting dogs could send a message of either the success of Kings in war or, with the more enlightened views of Goya, remind us we were to some extent slaves to circumstances.
After reading Karla’s book you will look again at the dog in any painting and ponder on what he is there to tell us about his owner and ultimately about ourselves."
* Chris Tucker, Javea
https://spanisharthistory.blogspot.com/2023/08/spanish-dogs-story-of-dogs-in-spanish.html
BOOK REVIEW - Spanish DOGS - History Book
A couple of things stand out in my mind, after having read this book.
For example, I never knew that dogs, mainly Mastiffs, were used during times of war during the Middle Ages. Clad in armour they would charge at the horses during cavalry brandishing on their backs canisters of burning resin which would spook the horses and bring them down along with the enemy soldiers on their backs.I also found the origin of the lapdog, or toy dog, at the end of the Middle Ages to be very interesting. Because of their small size these dogs would be welcomed in the family home and be depicted in portraits. They would also be used as bed warmers and to attract the fleas away from their very unhygienic owners for whom a bath was a rarity and related to prostitution.
Here’s a fun fact from this book! The winter months made it too cold for bathing, therefore being delayed until the Spring, which saw the beginning of the custom of having weddings in May and June. As an extra measure the bride would carry a bouquet, thus hoping that the scent of the flowers would mask the odour of the body.
Whether you are a dog owner or not - this book Spanish DOGS is an insightful read into the fascinating world of dogs and the part that they play, and always have played, in our lives.
The dog really is man’s best friend.
Margaret den Hartog - Javea
BOOK REVIEW - Spanish DOGS - History Book
Karla Ingleton Darocas is based in Benitachell on Spain’s Costa Blanca. On her website, SpainLifestyle.com, she describes herself as: An educator with a passion to inspire and facilitate a lust to learn.
Karla has a BA (Hons), and is also a photographer, author and Spanish Fine Arts Historian. She’s also a self-confessed dog lover, with two rescue dogs, Venus and Mars.
Her latest book, Spanish Dogs: The Story of Dogs in Spanish History, Culture and the Arts, is a testament to Karla’s love of dogs, the arts, and all things connected to her adopted homeland, Spain.
From the first sentence, I was hooked, because I share Karla’s passion for dogs and Spanish culture. I also firmly believe that once you stop learning, you stop living, and there’s a lot of learning packed into the 70 pages of this book.
Don’t let that put you off though – Karla has a wonderful way with words that makes absorbing knowledge a pleasure, and she also has a great sense of humour.
Describing how court painters Velázquez and Goya painted their royal sponsors, she points out that Velázquez was very keen to underplay the facial deformities resulting from the interbreeding of the Habsburg monarchs. Spanish kings loved to be painted in full hunting dress, with their faithful – and generally subservient – hounds by their sides. It subtly emphasised the idea, first verbalised in the Bible, that Man has dominion over the beasts. (Genesis 1: 26, 27)
Goya, on the other hand, preferred to focus on the real beauty of his subjects, or as Karla puts it:
Velázquez used his admirable inventiveness to hide the protruding lower lip and pronounced chin … Goya didn’t modify the royals … On the contrary, we see the monarch, (Carlos III) with his strange small face, beady eyes, and a great big honker of a nose.
Goya was certainly an artist after Karla’s own heart, using his skills to represent the true narrative and true worth of the subjects of his portraits. In his art, there is no doubt where his allegiances lie. Discussing the hunting portrait of Carlos IV and his hound, Karla notes:
Looking up at his master with adoration and fidelity, this dog is the most regal thing in this painting.
This fabulous book gives some great insights into the origins of the dog breeds in Spain. The ubiquitous Podencos arrived in Spain as a result of conquests and explorations over the centuries. It’s most likely that the Podencos came across from Algeria, while the distinctive Water Dogs came over with the Berber's during the first Muslim conquest of Spain. Today, there are still 49 different Water Dogs in Spain.
Another typically Spanish dog, the Galgo, or Greyhound, is believed to have landed on the Iberian Peninsula with the Celts. There’s plenty of contemporary artwork, in the shape of cave paintings, engravings and pottery, to support these theories, and it’s uncanny to see the resemblance between these ancient canine ancestors and the Spanish dogs we are so familiar with today.
Fast-forward to the Middle Ages, and the Catholic Spanish found another use for dogs, but it’s not one of their proudest moments. The inventors of the Inquisition had a favourite torture method which involved chaining prisoners, then allowing them to be savaged by Mastiffs. Today, these gentle giants are more noted for their loving, faithful nature, which is typical of Man’s Best Friend.
Overall though, this is an upbeat book, and Karla soon lifts the mood by informing the reader of the term that was used for this barbaric practice. It was called – wait for it – dogging! That’s quite a juxtaposition for modern audiences to deal with, since ‘dogging’ has come to mean having sex with strangers in the open air. In fact, in the popular television sitcom Benidorm, the eponymous resort is said to have a designated ‘Dogging Beach!’
Karla wraps up the book with the tale – or should that be tail? – of Pablo Picasso’s beloved Dachshund, Lump. Lump arrived in 1957 with photographer David Douglas Duncan, who was doing a feature on Picasso, and never left the artist’s side until his death in March 1973. Picasso followed Lump across the Rainbow Bridge just 10 days later. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not, but it’s a suitably emotional ending for a book about the creatures that inspire so many emotions in their human guardians.
There are so many interesting anecdotes, culture connections and light moments that describing Spanish Dogs as just a book about dogs is a bit like saying José Carreras, one third of the Three Tenors, is ‘just a singer.’ If you love dogs, art and Spain, or any combination of these, you really need to read this.
By Sandra Piddock
https://spanisharthistory.blogspot.com/2023/08/spanish-dogs-story-of-dogs-in-spanish.html
17 C SPANISH SACRED BAROQUE
"It is because Karla cares so much that she was so worried about how her lectures would work in the new virtual environment - well she needn't have. Her Sacred Baroque lecture delivered over Zoom was just as engaging and thought-provoking as any other I have attended.
In fact, Karla made good use of the technology by going close up on features of the paintings so we could see and learn more about what some of the symbols and icons meant. We otherwise might have missed these details. She also put paintings side by side so we could compare them and see how different artists tackled the exact same subject, showing us how artists evolved in terms of their skill and to reflect changing trends.
As always, we saw history through the eyes of the artists and given that many artists she covered were painting at the time of their own pandemic hundreds of years ago - this had a particular piquancy.
Highly recommended and I can't wait for the next one."
* Christine Wood - Javea
17 c SPANISH SACRED BAROQUE
"As usual, Karla combines history, to explain the context of the times, and the pictorial techniques, to help us better "read" a painting. She talks about the painters' lives, their travels, motivations and influences.
Altogether, this makes for a very interesting and informative lecture. In this case, the evolution of Spanish baroque religious painting.
I am looking forward to the next lecture on Spanish baroque profane painting.
Karla is very knowledgeable in Spanish culture and history.
I recommend Karla Darocas teachings"
* Jo Jouas, Denia
BOOK REVIEW - Spanish DOGS - History Book
"Well, I must admit that I have never given any thought to the representation of dogs in art. As the owner of two Spanish dogs, I will now.
From prehistoric through to the 20th century, Karla guides us in interpreting the art, and also engages us to understand better the roles that dogs played in daily life.
Karla writes in an engaging fashion, and brings the subject to life very well. I often judge people based on how they treat their animals; now I’ll be both noticing, and interpreting the dogs I see in art.
I always enjoy the opportunity to increase my appreciation and understanding of art, and this book has opened a new window for me to look through."
Chris Newkirk * Las Peñitas, Nicaragua
https://spanisharthistory.blogspot.com/2023/08/spanish-dogs-story-of-dogs-in-spanish.html
BOOK REVIEW - Spanish DOGS - History Book
"There are tons of books on "Dogs", so what makes Karla's book stand out? I would even say, what makes it exceptional?
It is the first book on dogs in Spanish history and culture. How she chooses to present them appeals to me greatly - through artefacts and Spanish Art.
Her time period spans from the time of the Neanderthals to modern times. She speaks of the working dog, the dogs of war, and lapdogs. Her illustrations go from religious art to court paintings. We discover famous painters and their relation to dogs (from Goya to Picasso).
Her book is very detailed.
What makes it interesting to read are the many stories and anecdotes that accompany the information. With her artistic background, Karla leads us into a painting, draws our attention to something we would not necessarily see by ourselves, and explains the "why and how".
I strongly recommend Karla's book for those who love dogs, Spanish history and culture, and/or Spanish art. Her writing style is easy to follow."
* Jos Jouas, Denia
https://spanisharthistory.blogspot.com/2023/08/spanish-dogs-story-of-dogs-in-spanish.html