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Dr. Rafael Mateu de Ros, member of CollectionsLegal, together with his colleague Dr.Patricia Fernández Lorenzo, both from the Art and Cultural Heritage Department at Ramón y Cajal Abogados, have provided legal counsel to the Hispanic Society of America—the century-old New York institution that holds the world’s largest collection of Hispanic art and the most extensive library of Hispanic studies outside Spain—in the landmark loan exhibition of works by Joaquín Sorolla, paving the way for the opening of the Society’s first European branch in the painter’s luminous hometown: Valencia.

From 2026, over 220 pieces by Sorolla—including oils, drawings, gouaches, photographs, sculptures, and personal letters—will be exhibited in the Palacio de las Comunicaciones, the former central post office building in Valencia’s City Hall Square. This initiative transforms the historic site into a vibrant cultural hub and marks an unprecedented gesture of institutional cooperation between Spain and the United States.

The legal agreement, negotiated and structured with the support of Ramón y Cajal Abogados, involves a four-year renewable loan contract, with the Generalitat Valenciana for the display of the works, and a projected 15-year collaboration horizon.

Among the highlights of the collection is Sol de la tarde (1903), a masterpiece that encapsulates Sorolla’s signature treatment of Mediterranean light. The selection of works has been overseen and validated by Blanca Pons-Sorolla, the artist’s great-granddaughter and foremost authority on his oeuvre.

In addition to the permanent gallery, the new venue will feature a museum shop, a tribute café named “Café Huntington”, and immersive experiences linked to Valencia’s cultural identity.

This strategic and symbolic project not only brings home the work of one of Spain’s most celebrated painters, but also strengthens Valencia’s position as a leading Mediterranean destination for cultural tourism. As stated by Guillaume Kientz, Director of the Hispanic Society, the new site “will serve as a major window into Europe,” reinforcing the Society’s founding mission to promote and preserve the artistic legacy of the Hispanic world.

Valencia tendrá la segunda mayor colección del mundo de Sorolla | Cultura | EL PAÍS