Nucleon parton distributions in the large N_c limit

We review recent progress in calculating the twist--2 parton distribution functions at a low normalization point in the large--$N_c$ limit, where the nucleon can be described as a soliton of the effective chiral lagrangian. This field-theoretic approach preserves all general requirements on the distribution functions (positivity, normalization etc.). In particular, it allows to calculate the polarized and unpolarized antiquark distributions at the low normalization point.