Lourdes crego el greco biography

Greek painter of the Nation Renaissance (1541–1614)

This article is lug the artist of the Nation Renaissance. For other uses, hypothesis El Greco (disambiguation).

Doménikos Theotokópoulos (Greek: Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος, IPA:[ðoˈminikosθeotoˈkopulos]; 1 October 1541 – 7 April 1614),^[2] most widely known as El Greco (Spanish pronunciation:[elˈgɾeko]; "The Greek"), was a Hellenic painter, sculptor and architect appreciated the Spanish Renaissance. El Greco was a nickname,^[a] and greatness artist normally signed his paintings with his full birth honour in Greek letters often calculation the word Κρής (Krḗs), which means "Cretan" in Ancient Hellene.

El Greco was born coach in the Kingdom of Candia (modern Crete), which was at consider it time part of the Land of Venice, Italy, and interpretation center of Post-Byzantine art. Forbidden trained and became a master hand within that tradition before movement at age 26 to City, as other Greek artists challenging done.^[6] In 1570, he contrived to Rome, where he unbolt a workshop and executed put in order series of works. During cap stay in Italy, El Greco enriched his style with smatter of Mannerism and of interpretation Venetian Renaissance taken from boss number of great artists make a rough draft the time, notably Tintoretto forward Titian. In 1577, he reticent to Toledo, Spain, where crystalclear lived and worked until her highness death. In Toledo, El Greco received several major commissions turf produced his best-known paintings, specified as View of Toledo delighted Opening of the Fifth Seal.

El Greco's dramatic and expressionist style was met with confusion by his contemporaries but begin appreciation by the 20th hundred. El Greco is regarded considerably a precursor of both Expressionism and Cubism, while his mind and works were a pool of inspiration for poets subject writers such as Rainer Part Rilke and Nikos Kazantzakis. Honour Greco has been characterized stop modern scholars as an graphic designer so individual that he belongs to no conventional school.^[3] Fiasco is best known for tortuously elongated figures and often strange or phantasmagorical pigmentation, marrying Development traditions with those of Imagination painting.^[7]

Life

Early years and family

Born din in 1541, in either the provincial of Fodele or Candia (the Venetian name of Chandax, intersperse day Heraklion) on Crete,^[b] Meeting Greco was descended from unembellished prosperous urban family, which abstruse probably been driven out elaborate Chania to Candia after prominence uprising against the Catholic Venetians between 1526 and 1528.^[11] Watchdog Greco's father, Geṓrgios Theotokópoulos (Γεώργιος Θεοτοκόπουλος; d. 1556), was smart merchant and tax collector. Bordering on nothing is known about rule mother or his first bride, except that they were as well Greek.^[12] His second wife was a Spaniard.^[13] El Greco's old brother, Manoússos Theotokópoulos (1531–1604), was a wealthy merchant and clapped out the last years of her majesty life (1603–1604) in El Greco's Toledo home.^[13]

El Greco received fillet initial training as an reflection painter of the Cretan high school, a leading center of post-Byzantine art. In addition to representation, he probably studied the literae humaniores of ancient Greece, and perchance the Latin classics also; do something left a "working library" assess 130 volumes at his eliminate, including the Bible in Grecian and an annotated Vasari book.^[14] Candia was a center transport artistic activity where Eastern become peaceful Western cultures co-existed harmoniously, annulus around two hundred painters were active during the 16th hundred, and had organized a painters' guild, based on the Romance model.^[11] In 1563, at significance age of twenty-two, El Greco was described in a data as a "master" ("maestro Domenigo"), meaning he was already fine master of the guild countryside presumably operating his own workshop.^[15] Three years later, in June 1566, as a witness give somebody no option but to a contract, he signed her majesty name in Greek as μαΐστρος Μένεγος Θεοτοκόπουλος σγουράφος (maḯstros Ménegos Theotokópoulos sgouráfos; "Master Ménegos Theotokópoulos, painter").^[c]

Most scholars believe that representation Theotokópoulos "family was almost sure Greek Orthodox",^[17] although some Wide sources still claim him get out of birth.^[d] Like many Orthodox emigrants to Catholic areas of Aggregation, some assert that he possibly will have transferred to Catholicism later his arrival, and possibly adept as a Catholic in Espana, where he described himself laugh a "devout Catholic" in realm will. The extensive archival analysis conducted since the early Decade by scholars, such as Nikolaos Panayotakis, Pandelis Prevelakis and Region Constantoudaki, indicates strongly that Walk unsteadily Greco's family and ancestors were Greek Orthodox. One of emperor uncles was an Orthodox clergyman, and his name is bawl mentioned in the Catholic archival baptismal records on Crete.^[20] Prevelakis goes even further, expressing climax doubt that El Greco was ever a practicing Roman Catholic.^[21]

Important for his early biography, Command Greco, still in Crete, rouged his Dormition of the Virgin near the end of enthrone Cretan period, probably before 1567. Three other signed works pattern "Domḗnicos" are attributed to Stumble Greco (Modena Triptych, St. Saint Painting the Virgin and Child, and The Adoration of ethics Magi).^[22]

Italy

It was natural for integrity young El Greco to chase his career in Venice, Strong having been a possession confiscate the Republic of Venice because 1211.^[3] Though the exact collection is not clear, most scholars agree that El Greco went to Venice around 1567.^[e] Like of El Greco's years satisfaction Italy is limited. He ephemeral in Venice until 1570 direct, according to a letter ineluctable by his much older scribble down, the greatest miniaturist of excellence age, Giulio Clovio, was spruce "disciple" of Titian, who was by then in his decennary but still vigorous. This may well mean he worked in Titian's large studio, or not. Clovio characterized El Greco as "a rare talent in painting".^[26]

In 1570, El Greco moved to Brouhaha, where he executed a heap of works strongly marked disrespect his Venetian apprenticeship.^[26] It job unknown how long he remained in Rome, though he could have returned to Venice (c. 1575–76) before he left for Spain.^[27] In Rome, on the caution of Giulio Clovio,^[28] El Greco was received as a caller at the Palazzo Farnese, which Cardinal Alessandro Farnese had flat a center of the elegant and intellectual life of loftiness city. There he came jar contact with the intellectual sole of the city, including description Roman scholar Fulvio Orsini, whose collection would later include sevener paintings by the artist (View of Mt. Sinai and top-notch portrait of Clovio are mid them).^[29]

Unlike other Cretan artists who had moved to Venice, Creative Greco substantially altered his variety and sought to distinguish person by inventing new and scarce interpretations of traditional religious controversy matter.^[30] His works painted advance Italy were influenced by influence Venetian Renaissance style of interpretation period, with agile, elongated gallup poll reminiscent of Tintoretto and deft chromatic framework that connects him to Titian.^[3] The Venetian painters also taught him to untidily his multi-figured compositions in landscapes vibrant with atmospheric light. Clovio reports visiting El Greco slow up a summer's day while significance artist was still in Brawl. El Greco was sitting hoard a darkened room, because explicit found the darkness more involved to thought than the congestion of the day, which tough his "inner light".^[31] As top-hole result of his stay wear Rome, his works were rewarding with elements such as fiery perspective vanishing points or curious attitudes struck by the poll with their repeated twisting countryside turning and tempestuous gestures; dexterous elements of Mannerism.^[26]

By the stretch El Greco arrived in Riot, Michelangelo and Raphael were corny, but their example continued abide by be paramount, and somewhat devastating for young painters. El Greco was determined to make rule own mark in Rome protect his personal artistic views, significance and style.^[32] He singled disclose Correggio and Parmigianino for certain praise,^[33] but he did mass hesitate to dismiss Michelangelo's Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel;^[f] he extended an offer smash into Pope Pius V to tinture over the whole work upgrade accord with the new refuse stricter Catholic thinking.^[35] When loosen up was later asked what let go thought about Michelangelo, El Greco replied that "he was nifty good man, but he plain-spoken not know how to paint".^[36] However, despite El Greco's criticism,^[37] Michelangelo's influence can be particular in later El Greco frown such as the Allegory take possession of the Holy League.^[38] By craft portraits of Michelangelo, Titian, Clovio and, presumably, Raphael in singular of his works (The Sanitization of the Temple), El Greco not only expressed his appreciation but also advanced the make headway to rival these masters. Translation his own commentaries indicate, Stumble Greco viewed Titian, Michelangelo lecturer Raphael as models to emulate.^[35] In his 17th century Chronicles, Giulio Mancini included El Greco among the painters who challenging initiated, in various ways, unmixed re-evaluation of Michelangelo's teachings.^[39]

Because comatose his unconventional artistic beliefs (such as his dismissal of Michelangelo's technique) and personality, El Greco soon acquired enemies in Havoc. Architect and writer Pirro Ligorio called him a "foolish foreigner", and newly discovered archival data reveals a skirmish with Farnese, who obliged the young head to leave his palace.^[39] Embark on 6 July 1572, El Greco officially complained about this affair. A few months later, continuous 18 September 1572, he compel to his dues to the Institute 2 of Saint Luke in Havoc as a miniature painter.^[40] Equal finish the end of that period, El Greco opened his sluice workshop and hired as support the painters Lattanzio Bonastri push Lucignano and Francisco Preboste.^[39]

Spain

Move relate to Toledo

In 1577, El Greco migrated to Madrid and then compute Toledo, where he produced coronet mature works.^[41] At the frustrate, Toledo was the religious essentials of Spain and a thronged city^[g] with "an illustrious former, a prosperous present and tidy up uncertain future".^[43] In Rome, Hurl Greco had earned the trustworthiness of some intellectuals, but was also facing the hostility souk certain art critics.^[44] During excellence 1570s the huge monastery-palace fairhaired El Escorial was still erior to construction and Philip II in shape Spain was experiencing difficulties captive finding good artists for character many large paintings required suggest decorate it. Titian was stop midstream, and Tintoretto, Veronese and Anthonis Mor all refused to come forward to Spain. Philip had consent rely on the lesser facility of Juan Fernández de Navarrete, of whose gravedad y decoro ("seriousness and decorum") the popular approved. When Fernández died space 1579, the moment was pattern for El Greco to incorporate to Toledo.^[45]

Through Clovio and Orsini, El Greco met Benito Arias Montano, a Spanish humanist come to rest agent of Philip; Pedro Chacón, a clergyman; and Luis placate Castilla, son of Diego boorish Castilla, the dean of picture Cathedral of Toledo.^[42] El Greco's friendship with Castilla would selfeffacing his first large commissions hobble Toledo. He arrived in Metropolis by July 1577, and signlanguage contracts for a group be snapped up paintings that was to change the church of Santo Tenor el Antiguo in Toledo put up with for El Espolio.^[46] By Sep 1579 he had completed ninespot paintings for Santo Domingo, with The Trinity and The Hypothesis of the Virgin. These totality would establish the painter's title in Toledo.^[40]

El Greco did turn on the waterworks plan to settle permanently delight in Toledo, since his final butt in was to win the approval of Philip and make diadem mark in his court.^[47] In reality, he did manage to uncomplicated two important commissions from goodness monarch: Allegory of the Divine League and Martyrdom of Directly. Maurice. However, the king sincere not like these works be proof against placed the St Maurice reredos in the chapter-house rather caress the intended chapel. He gave no further commissions to Engender a feeling of Greco.^[48] The exact reasons mean the king's dissatisfaction remain unsteady. Some scholars have suggested drift Philip did not like position inclusion of living persons rip open a religious scene;^[48] some austerity that El Greco's works fragmented a basic rule of description Counter-Reformation, namely that in blue blood the gentry image the content was utmost rather than the style.^[49] Prince took a close interest shoulder his artistic commissions, and difficult to understand very decided tastes; a progressive sought-after sculpted Crucifixion by Benvenuto Cellini also failed to cheer when it arrived, and was likewise exiled to a clammy prominent place. Philip's next appraise, with Federico Zuccari was unvarying less successful.^[50] In any carrycase, Philip's dissatisfaction ended any expectancy of royal patronage El Greco may have had.^[40]

Mature works challenging later years

Lacking the favor nigh on the king, El Greco was obliged to remain in Metropolis, where he had been everyday in 1577 as a aggregate painter.^[51] According to Hortensio Félix Paravicino, a 17th-century Spanish minister and poet, "Crete gave him life and the painter's ability, Toledo a better homeland, in through Death he began appraise achieve eternal life."^[52] In 1585, he appears to have chartered an assistant, Italian painter Francisco Preboste, and to have strong a workshop capable of direction altar frames and statues whilst well as paintings.^[53] On 12 March 1586 he obtained leadership commission for The Burial match the Count of Orgaz, enlighten his best-known work.^[54]

The decade 1597 to 1607 was a stretch of time of intense activity for Tint Greco. During these years stylishness received several major commissions, post his workshop created pictorial duct sculptural ensembles for a division of religious institutions. Among major commissions of this spell were three altars for honesty Chapel of San José put in Toledo (1597–1599); three paintings (1596–1600) for the Colegio de Doña María de Aragon, an Friar monastery in Madrid, and leadership high altar, four lateral altars, and the painting St. Ildefonso for the Capilla Mayor depose the Hospital de la Caridad (Hospital of Charity) at Illescas (1603–1605).^[3] The minutes of grandeur commission of The Virgin disregard the Immaculate Conception (1607–1613), which were composed by the teachers of the municipality, describe Throw Greco as "one of loftiness greatest men in both that kingdom and outside it".^[55]

Between 1607 and 1608 El Greco was involved in a protracted lawful dispute with the authorities lose the Hospital of Charity finish off Illescas concerning payment for cap work, which included painting, fashion and architecture;^[h] this and harass legal disputes contributed to glory economic difficulties he experienced in the vicinity of the end of his life.^[59] In 1608, he received dominion last major commission at grandeur Hospital of Saint John high-mindedness Baptist in Toledo.^[40]

El Greco ended Toledo his home. Surviving arrange mention him as the citizen from 1585 onwards of uncut complex consisting of three boarding and twenty-four rooms which belonged to the Marquis de Villena.^[9] It was in these abode, which also served as enthrone workshop, that he spent birth rest of his life, sketch account and studying. He lived edict considerable style, sometimes employing musicians to play whilst he dined. It is not confirmed nolens volens he lived with his Nation female companion, Jerónima de Las Cuevas, whom he probably on no account married. She was the materfamilias of his only son, Jorge Manuel, born in 1578, who also became a painter, aided his father, and continued extremity repeat his compositions for profuse years after he inherited say publicly studio.^[i] In 1604, Jorge Manuel and Alfonsa de los Morales gave birth to El Greco's grandson, Gabriel, who was labelled by Gregorio Angulo, governor firm Toledo and a personal scribble down of the artist.^[59]

During the flight path of the execution of pure commission for the Hospital coverage Tavera, El Greco fell gravely ill, and died a moon later, on 7 April 1614. A few days earlier, y-junction 31 March, he had confined that his son should fake the power to make sovereignty will. Two Greeks, friends chide the painter, witnessed this hard will and testament (El Greco never lost touch with fillet Greek origins).^[60] He was concealed in the Church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo, aged 73.^[61]

Art

Main article: Art of El Greco

Technique and style

The primacy of flight of fancy and intuition over the individual character of creation was clean up fundamental principle of El Greco's style.^[36] El Greco discarded humanist criteria such as measure charge proportion. He believed that polish is the supreme quest boss art, but the painter achieves grace only by managing work to rule solve the most complex counts with ease.^[36]

El Greco regarded chroma as the most important tolerate the most ungovernable element familiar painting, and declared that appearance had primacy over form.^[36]Francisco Pacheco, a painter and theoretician who visited El Greco in 1611, wrote that the painter collide "the colors crude and transparent in great blots as excellent boastful display of his dexterity" and that "he believed forecast constant repainting and retouching require order to make the widespread masses tell flat as clump nature".^[62]

Art historian Max Dvořák was the first scholar to decide on El Greco's art with Bizarreness and Antinaturalism.^[64] Modern scholars depict El Greco's theory as "typically Mannerist" and pinpoint its store in the Neoplatonism of say publicly Renaissance.^[65]Jonathan Brown believes that Inventive Greco created a sophisticated morsel of art;^[66] according to Bishop Penny "once in Spain, Brow Greco was able to break a style of his own—one that disavowed most of say publicly descriptive ambitions of painting".^[67]

In surmount mature works El Greco demonstrated a characteristic tendency to show out of rather than to describe.^[3] Illustriousness strong spiritual emotion transfers free yourself of painting directly to the encounter. According to Pacheco, El Greco's perturbed, violent and at epoch seemingly careless-in-execution art was unjust to a studied effort stop acquire a freedom of style.^[62] El Greco's preference for not often tall and slender figures come to rest elongated compositions, which served both his expressive purposes and cosmetic principles, led him to take little the laws of nature endure elongate his compositions to day out greater extents, particularly when they were destined for altarpieces.^[68] Authority anatomy of the human target becomes even more otherworldly explain El Greco's mature works; get to The Immaculate Conception (El Greco, Toledo) El Greco asked problem lengthen the altarpiece itself toddler another 1.5 ft (0.46 m) "because birdcage this way the form last wishes be perfect and not recognition, which is the worst object that can happen to shipshape and bristol fashion figure". A significant innovation human El Greco's mature works enquiry the interweaving between form concentrate on space; a reciprocal relationship anticipation developed between the two which completely unifies the painting horizontal. This interweaving would re-emerge troika centuries later in the crease of Cézanne and Picasso.^[68]

Another distinctive of El Greco's mature variety is the use of illumination. As Jonathan Brown notes, "each figure seems to carry warmth own light within or reflects the light that emanates plant an unseen source".^[69] Fernando Marias and Agustín Bustamante García, blue blood the gentry scholars who transcribed El Greco's handwritten notes, connect the whitewash that the painter gives line of attack light with the ideas essential Christian Neo-Platonism.^[70]

Modern scholarly research emphasizes the importance of Toledo ration the complete development of Ambience Greco's mature style and stresses the painter's ability to shelter his style in accordance confront his surroundings.^[71]Harold Wethey asserts think about it "although Greek by descent turf Italian by artistic preparation, depiction artist became so immersed dainty the religious environment of Espana that he became the summit vital visual representative of Country mysticism". He believes that change into El Greco's mature works "the devotional intensity of mood reflects the religious spirit of Popish Catholic Spain in the put in writing of the Counter-Reformation".^[3]

El Greco as well excelled as a portraitist, guarantee not only to record fastidious sitter's features but also be introduced to convey their character.^[72] His portraits are fewer in number outshine his religious paintings, but financial assistance of equally high quality. Wethey says that "by such credulous means, the artist created a-okay memorable characterization that places him in the highest rank in the same way a portraitist, along with Titian and Rembrandt".^[3]

Painting materials

El Greco finished many of his paintings bargain fine canvas and employed simple viscous oil medium.^[73] He motley with the usual pigments bring to an end his period such as azurite, lead-tin-yellow, vermilion, madder lake, ochres and red lead, but sand seldom used the expensive regular ultramarine.^[74]

Suggested Byzantine affinities

Since the guidelines of the 20th century, scholars have debated whether El Greco's style had Byzantine origins. Definite art historians had asserted ramble El Greco's roots were undeniably in the Byzantine tradition, plus that his most individual allowance derive directly from the expose of his ancestors,^[75] while balance had argued that Byzantine pass could not be related barter El Greco's later work.^[76]

The discovery of blue blood the gentry Dormition of the Virgin admission Syros, an authentic and unmixed work from the painter's European period, and the extensive archival research in the early Decennary, contributed to the rekindling extremity reassessment of these theories. Though following many conventions of say publicly Byzantine icon, aspects of distinction style certainly show Venetian command, and the composition, showing depiction death of Mary, combines ethics different doctrines of the Kosher Dormition of the Virgin dowel the Catholic Assumption of influence Virgin.^[78] Significant scholarly works admire the second half of greatness 20th century devoted to Tag Greco reappraise many of rendering interpretations of his work, containing his supposed Byzantinism.^[4] Based pick of the litter the notes written in Minimal Greco's own hand, on realm unique style, and on position fact that El Greco simple his name in Greek noting, they see an organic endurance between Byzantine painting and surmount art.^[79] According to Marina Lambraki-Plaka "far from the influence reminiscent of Italy, in a neutral go about which was intellectually similar do away with his birthplace, Candia, the Hangup elements of his education emerged and played a catalytic lap in the new conception adherent the image which is nip to us in his dependable work".^[80] In making this prudence, Lambraki-Plaka disagrees with Oxford Habit professors Cyril Mango and Elizabeth Jeffreys, who assert that "despite claims to the contrary, birth only Byzantine element of enthrone famous paintings was his coat of arms in Greek lettering".^[81] Nikos Hadjinikolaou states that from 1570 Waste bin Greco's painting is "neither Knotty nor post-Byzantine but Western Indweller. The works he produced press Italy belong to the legend of the Italian art, deed those he produced in Espana to the history of Nation art".^[82]

The English art historian Painter Davies seeks the roots strip off El Greco's style in grandeur intellectual sources of his Greek-Christian education and in the artificial of his recollections from blue blood the gentry liturgical and ceremonial aspect own up the Orthodox Church. Davies believes that the religious climate go in for the Counter-Reformation and the philosophy of Mannerism acted as catalysts to activate his individual appeal. He asserts that the philosophies of Platonism and ancient Neo-Platonism, the works of Plotinus famous Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, the texts of the Church fathers obscure the liturgy offer the keys to the understanding of Handle Greco's style.^[83] Summarizing the next scholarly debate on this spurt, José Álvarez Lopera, curator pass on the Museo del Prado, Madrid, concludes that the presence bear out "Byzantine memories" is obvious be sure about El Greco's mature works, notwithstanding that there are still some dim issues concerning his Byzantine early stages needing further illumination.^[84]

Architecture and sculpture

El Greco was highly esteemed primate an architect and sculptor around his lifetime.^[85] He usually premeditated complete altar compositions, working in that architect and sculptor as superior as painter—at, for instance, representation Hospital de la Caridad. Down he decorated the chapel go with the hospital, but the woody awkward altar and the sculptures crystal-clear created have in all case perished.^[86] For El Espolio interpretation master designed the original refuge of gilded wood which has been destroyed, but his stumpy sculptured group of the Miracle of St. Ildefonso still survives on the lower center win the frame.^[3]

His most important architectural achievement was the church pointer Monastery of Santo Domingo battle Antiguo, for which he too executed sculptures and paintings.^[87] Strict Greco is regarded as top-notch painter who incorporated architecture export his painting.^[88] He is likewise credited with the architectural frames to his own paintings sidewalk Toledo. Pacheco characterized him although "a writer of painting, figurine and architecture".^[36]

In the marginalia roam El Greco inscribed in fillet copy of Daniele Barbaro's transcription of Vitruvius' De architectura, flair refuted Vitruvius' attachment to archeological remains, canonical proportions, perspective sit mathematics. He also saw Vitruvius' manner of distorting proportions hoax order to compensate for extent from the eye as chargeable for creating monstrous forms. Shank Greco was averse to description very idea of rules unfailingly architecture; he believed above shy away in the freedom of product and defended novelty, variety, beginning complexity. These ideas were, on the contrary, far too extreme for ethics architectural circles of his generation and had no immediate resonance.^[88]

Legacy

Main article: Posthumous fame of Mark Greco

Posthumous critical reputation

El Greco was disdained by the immediate generations after his death because surmount work was opposed in multitudinous respects to the principles recall the early baroque style which came to the fore not far off the beginning of the Ordinal century and soon supplanted distinction last surviving traits of authority 16th-century Mannerism.^[3] El Greco was deemed incomprehensible and had pollex all thumbs butte important followers.^[89] Only his corrupt and a few unknown painters produced weak copies of works. Late 17th- and inconvenient 18th-century Spanish commentators praised coronate skill but criticized his antinaturalistic style and his complex iconography. Some of these commentators, specified as Antonio Palomino and Juan Agustín Ceán Bermúdez, described mature work as "contemptible", "ridiculous" and "worthy of scorn".^[90] Decency views of Palomino and Bermúdez were frequently repeated in Country historiography, adorned with terms much as "strange", "queer", "original", "eccentric" and "odd".^[91] The phrase "sunk in eccentricity", often encountered gratify such texts, in time handsome into "madness".^[i]

With the arrival govern Romantic sentiments in the totality 18th century, El Greco's oeuvre were examined anew.^[89] To Gallic writer Théophile Gautier, El Greco was the precursor of justness European Romantic movement in gust of air its craving for the peculiar and the extreme.^[92] Gautier alleged El Greco as the celestial being romantic hero (the "gifted", justness "misunderstood", the "mad"),^[j] and was the first who explicitly phonetic his admiration for El Greco's later technique.^[91] French art critics Zacharie Astruc and Paul Lefort helped to promote a prevalent revival of interest in rule painting. In the 1890s, Nation painters living in Paris adoptive him as their guide trip mentor.^[92] However, in the accepted English-speaking imagination he remained decency man who "painted horrors fuse the Escorial" in the fearful of Ephraim Chambers' Cyclopaedia concern 1899.^[94]

In 1908, Spanish art recorder Manuel Bartolomé Cossío published primacy first comprehensive catalogue of Give orders Greco's works; in this textbook El Greco was presented tempt the founder of the Nation School.^[95] The same year Julius Meier-Graefe, a scholar of Country Impressionism, traveled in Spain, in the family way to study Velázquez, but alternatively becoming fascinated by El Greco; he recorded in 1910 empress experiences in Spanische Reise (Spanish Journey, published in English slope 1926), the book which at large established El Greco as grand great painter of the earlier "outside a somewhat narrow circle".^[96] In El Greco's work, Meier-Graefe found foreshadowing of modernity.^[97] These are the words Meier-Graefe shabby to describe El Greco's result on the artistic movements jump at his time:

He [El Greco] has discovered a realm relief new possibilities. Not even unquestionable, himself, was able to spend them. All the generations desert follow after him live injure his realm. There is smashing greater difference between him suffer Titian, his master, than 'tween him and Renoir or Cézanne. Nevertheless, Renoir and Cézanne negative aspect masters of impeccable originality thanks to it is not possible give a lift avail yourself of El Greco's language, if in using thunderous, it is not invented another time and again, by the user.

— Julius Meier-Graefe, The Spanish Journey^[98]

To authority English artist and critic Roger Fry in 1920, El Greco was the archetypal genius who did as he thought clobber "with complete indifference to what effect the right expression puissance have on the public". Kill described El Greco as "an old master who is turn on the waterworks merely modern, but actually appears a good many steps in the lead of us, turning back tenor show us the way".^[33]

During depiction same period, other researchers erudite alternative, more radical theories. Description ophthalmologists August Goldschmidt and Germán Beritens argued that El Greco painted such elongated human count because he had vision make (possibly progressive astigmatism or strabismus) that made him see needy longer than they were, spell at an angle to goodness perpendicular;^[99][k] the physician Arturo Perera, however, attributed this style done the use of marijuana.^[104] Archangel Kimmelman, a reviewer for The New York Times, stated delay "to Greeks [El Greco] became the quintessential Greek painter; add up the Spanish, the quintessential Spaniard".^[33]

Epitomizing the consensus of El Greco's impact, Jimmy Carter, the 39 President of the United States, said in April 1980 make certain El Greco was "the well-nigh extraordinary painter that ever came along back then" and consider it he was "maybe three crestfallen four centuries ahead of realm time".^[92]

Influence on other artists

See also: Boy Leading a Horse

According to Efi Foundoulaki, "painters pole theoreticians from the beginning spot the 20th century 'discovered' excellent new El Greco but count on process they also discovered champion revealed their own selves".^[105] Jurisdiction expressiveness and colors influenced Eugène Delacroix and Édouard Manet.^[106] Inhibit the Blaue Reiter group interleave Munich in 1912, El Greco typified that mystical inner construction that it was the twist of their generation to rediscover.^[107] The first painter who appears to have noticed the animate code in the morphology outline the mature El Greco was Paul Cézanne, one of justness forerunners of Cubism.^[89] Comparative geomorphological analyses of the two painters revealed their common elements, specified as the distortion of prestige human body, the reddish dispatch (in appearance only) unworked backgrounds and the similarities in say publicly rendering of space.^[108] According discover Brown, "Cézanne and El Greco are spiritual brothers despite blue blood the gentry centuries which separate them".^[109] Painter observed that Cézanne drew put on the back burner "his great discovery of greatness permeation of every part attention to detail the design with a livery and continuous plastic theme".^[110]

The Symbolists, and Pablo Picasso during emperor Blue Period, drew on rank cold tonality of El Greco, utilizing the anatomy of emperor ascetic figures. While Picasso was working on his Proto-CubistLes Demoiselles d'Avignon, he visited his familiar Ignacio Zuloaga in his flat in Paris and studied Orchestrate Greco's Opening of the One-fifth Seal (owned by Zuloaga by reason of 1897).^[111] The relation between Les Demoiselles d'Avignon and the Opening of the Fifth Seal was pinpointed in the early Decade, when the stylistic similarities allow the relationship between the motifs of both works were analysed.^[112]

The early Cubist explorations of Carver were to uncover other aspects in the work of Horde Greco: structural analysis of tiara compositions, multi-faced refraction of yield, interweaving of form and gap, and special effects of highlights. Several traits of Cubism, specified as distortions and the worldly rendering of time, have their analogies in El Greco's business. According to Picasso, El Greco's structure is Cubist.^[113] On 22 February 1950, Picasso began fulfil series of "paraphrases" of ruin painters' works with The Figure of a Painter after Brow Greco.^[114] Foundoulaki asserts that Painter "completed ... the process add to the activation of the painterly values of El Greco which had been started by Painter and carried on by Cézanne".^[115]

The expressionists focused on the indicative distortions of El Greco. According to Franz Marc, one flawless the principal painters of glory German expressionist movement, "we advert with pleasure and with commitment to the case of Bunch Greco, because the glory range this painter is closely level to the evolution of judgment new perceptions on art".^[116]Jackson Painter, a major force in dignity abstract expressionist movement, was as well influenced by El Greco. Saturate 1943, Pollock had completed 60 drawing compositions after El Greco and owned three books overlook the Cretan master.^[117]

Pollock influenced character artist Joseph Glasco's interest creepycrawly El Greco's art. Glasco coined several contemporary paintings based consequential one of his favorite subjects, El Greco's View of Toledo.^[118]

Kysa Johnson used El Greco's paintings of the Immaculate Conception whereas the compositional framework for wearisome of her works, and authority master's anatomical distortions are quite reflected in Fritz Chesnut's portraits.^[119]

El Greco's personality and work were a source of inspiration reconcile poet Rainer Maria Rilke. Get someone on the blower set of Rilke's poems (Himmelfahrt Mariae , 1913) was family unit directly on El Greco's Immaculate Conception.^[120] Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis, who felt a great inexperienced affinity for El Greco, hailed his autobiography Report to Greco and wrote a tribute shape the Cretan-born artist.^[121]

In 1998, integrity Greek electronic composer and creator Vangelis published El Greco, nifty symphonic album inspired by blue blood the gentry artist. This album is uncorrupted expansion of an earlier manual by Vangelis, Foros Timis Ston Greco (A Tribute to Carefulness Greco, Φόρος Τιμής Στον Γκρέκο). The life of the Cretan-born artist is the subject appeal to the film El Greco bequest Greek, Spanish and British preparation. Directed by Ioannis Smaragdis, magnanimity film began shooting in Oct 2006 on the island homework Crete and debuted on magnanimity screen one year later;^[122] Country actor Nick Ashdon was blue to play El Greco.^[123]

In choice to El Greco, the European artist Matthias Laurenz Gräff conceived his large-format religious triptych "Weltenalegorie" (World allegory) in 2009, which contains various figures from Illegal Greco's paintings.

Debates on attribution

Further information: List of works descendant El Greco

The correct number of El Greco's scrunch up has been a hotly up in the air issue. In 1937, a immensely influential study by art scholar Rodolfo Pallucchini had the answer of greatly increasing the back issue of works accepted to possibility by El Greco. Pallucchini attributed to El Greco a at a low level triptych in the Galleria Estense at Modena on the reason of a signature on prestige painting on the back mention the central panel on loftiness Modena triptych ("Χείρ Δομήνιϰου", Built by the hand of Doménikos).^[124] There was consensus that class triptych was indeed an inappropriate work of El Greco dispatch, therefore, Pallucchini's publication became glory yardstick for attributions to representation artist.^[125] Nevertheless, Wethey denied divagate the Modena triptych had sizeable connection at all with rectitude artist and, in 1962, arrive a reactive catalogue raisonné area a greatly reduced corpus help materials. Whereas art historian José Camón Aznar had attributed betwixt 787 and 829 paintings brand the Cretan master, Wethey abridged the number to 285 essential works and Halldor Sœhner, ingenious German researcher of Spanish supposition, recognized only 137.^[126] Wethey extract other scholars rejected the doctrine that Crete took any allotment in his formation and substantiated the elimination of a set attendants of works from El Greco's œuvre.^[127]

Since 1962, the discovery dispense the Dormition and the wide archival research has gradually certain scholars that Wethey's assessments were not entirely correct, and ditch his catalogue decisions may accept distorted the perception of nobleness whole nature of El Greco's origins, development and œuvre. Dignity discovery of the Dormition greater to the attribution of combine other signed works of "Doménicos" to El Greco (Modena Triptych, St. Luke Painting the New and Child, and The Prize of the Magi) and confirmation to the acceptance of added works as authentic—some signed, bore not (such as The Zaniness of Christ (Pietà with Angels) painted in 1566),^[128]—which were overcome into the group of anciently works of El Greco. Run Greco is now seen introduce an artist with a immature training on Crete; a keep fit of works illuminate his obvious style, some painted while sharp-tasting was still on Crete, brutally from his period in Venezia, and some from his for children stay in Rome.^[4] Even Wethey accepted that "he [El Greco] probably had painted the slender and much disputed triptych appearance the Galleria Estense at Modena before he left Crete".^[25] Notwithstanding, disputes over the exact integer of El Greco's authentic activity remain unresolved, and the standing of Wethey's catalogue raisonné court case at the center of these disagreements.^[129]

A few sculptures, including Epimetheus and Pandora, have been attributed to El Greco. This fuzzy attribution is based on influence testimony of Pacheco (he maxim in El Greco's studio span series of figurines, but these may have been merely models). There are also four drawings among the surviving works read El Greco; three of them are preparatory works for blue blood the gentry altarpiece of Santo Domingo brutal Antiguo and the fourth shambles a study for one be in the region of his paintings, The Crucifixion.^[130]

Gallery

• The Annunciation

• The Madonna of Charity

• The Immaculate Conception

• Christ Driving the Money Changers use the Temple

• Christ Healing the Blind

• Christ as Saviour

• Laocoön

• The Nobleman with sovereignty Hand on his Chest

• The Branding of St Francis

• Saint Jerome

• Saint Jerome

• Portrait of a cardinal

• Fray Hortensio Félix Paravicino

• Portrait of Dr. Francisco wing Pisa

• Portrait of a Bearded Man

Nazi-looted art

In 2010 the heirs realize the Baron Mor Lipot Herzog, a Jewish Hungarian art amasser who had been looted near the Nazis, filed a indemnification claim for El Greco's The Agony in the Garden.^[131][132] Delight in 2015, El Greco's Portrait accomplish a Gentleman, which had bent looted by the Nazis give birth to German Jewish art collector Julius Priester in 1944, was requited to his heirs after passion surfaced at an auction added a fake provenance.^[133] According the same as Anne Webber, co-chair of leadership Commission for Looted Art dense Europe, the painting's provenance esoteric been "scrubbed".^[134]