Sorolla in Private, winner of the 2025 Gremial Pyramid Award for excellence in bookbinding
On May 30, the 72nd edition of the Graphic Arts Contest —an event organized by the Guild of the Graphic Industry and Communication of Catalonia— took place, which, during the 2025 Graphic Gala, honored ARTIKA’s latest release, Sorolla in Private, for its outstanding bookbinding.
The awards ceremony was held in the iconic Auditorium of the Escola Industrial in Barcelona and brought together key figures from the industry. The Extraordinary Gremial Pyramid Award recognizes excellence in graphic creation across all disciplines. The award aims to foster technical and artistic innovation in companies, as well as to spotlight the enormous potential of the industry.
The jury evaluated print quality, finishing, design and graphic concept, technical difficulty, execution, and finally, innovation and the added value of the work. With exceptional quality and attention to detail, the piece received the highest score, standing out among all the awarded works. The publication was celebrated for its extraordinary editorial and artisanal craftsmanship, which was instrumental in securing this prestigious accolade.
Marc Buil, global director of ARTIKA, accepted the award and shared his gratitude: “Receiving this award is a great honor for our entire team. Sorolla in Private is a very special project for us because it not only reveals the artist’s most human side, but also represents our approach to art publishing: every detail, from the binding to the design of the case, is meant to convey emotion and respect for the original work. Behind each copy lies many hours of artisan work and a deep admiration for Sorolla.”
A limited edition that reveals the artist’s private world
With a numbered and limited edition of 2,998 copies, Sorolla in Private offers a rare glimpse into the most personal side of Joaquín Sorolla: the man, the father, and the husband. Through drawings never intended for canvas or the public eye, it is revealed a freer, more spontaneous and deeply human facet of the artist.
-The exclusive case the two main volumes—the Art Book and the Study Book—both hand-sewn with white cotton thread and entirely hand-bound.
-The Art Book reproduces 71 of Joaquín Sorolla’s drawings, each die-cut and manually affixed with three glue points. Each chapter is dedicated to a family member, showcasing everyday scenes filled with tenderness, playfulness, and intimacy.
-The Study Book delves into the artist’s life and work through texts written by experts. Its cover features a family photograph printed in a single ink on cardstock with a soft-touch, anti-fingerprint finish, giving it an elegant appearance and silky feel.
-Also included is a collection of 210 handwritten letters exchanged between Sorolla and his wife Clotilde, many of which had never been published before.
-The edition is completed by an exclusive art print of a portrait of Clotilde—the only one that hung above the couple’s bed for years—faithfully reproduced at its original size (85 x 44 cm).
