THE PALM GROVE AT ELCHE

A few new images taken in the palm groves of Elche, Alicante. This place is very special and a little slice of North Africa in Spain. The only place in Europe where dates are still harvested using traditional methods…

Eastern Light; in the Palm Groves of Elche

Last week I made a trip across Spain to the Levante region. The light there was incredible and it was easy to see why Sorolla got so inspired to paint there. I spent a great afternoon in Elche, just outside Alicante, buried in Europe's largest palm forest. The harvesting of dates is still carried out in the region during the late Autumn and I was lucky enough to photograph a genuine Palmerero, Miguel Angel, his friend, Andres and his family. Many thanks to them for allowing me to glimpse a snapshot of their lives here.

Below is Sorolla's painting from Elche, painted during the winter of 1918/19, exactly 99 years ago. You can also see a few snaps of the shoot (B&W film photos to follow shortly...)

El Palmeral de Elche, Joaquín Sorolla 1918-19