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Portrait of Greco, El

Greco, El

1541–1614

Nationality: Crown of Castile, Republic of Venice
Born: 1541, Heraklion
Died: 1614, Toledo
Gender: male

Movements

Spanish Renaissance
Mannerism

Occupations

painter
architect
sculptor
architectural draftsperson
→ Wikipedia→ Wikidata→ Getty ULAN

Biography

El Greco, "The Greek," worked in Spain but signed his paintings with his Greek name, Domenikos Theotokopoulos. His work shows the influence of the art of Crete, his birthplace; Crete was a center for the Byzantine artistic tradition, emphasizing abstraction and pattern rather than recording natural appearances. From 1568 to 1577, El Greco lived in Venice and Rome, where Titian's broad brushwork and bright colors, Tintoretto's sweeping movement, and Michelangelo's monumental figures reshaped his Byzantine-influenced style. He was acclaimed for his penetrating portraits, but he also received ecclesiastical commissions throughout Spain, including important altarpieces. His paintings of Toledo are among Europe's first pure landscapes.

Wikidata (CC0); Getty ULAN (ODC-By)

Notable Works

  • The Martyrdom of St. Maurice
  • Modena Triptych
  • Laocoön
  • Dormition of the Virgin
  • The Vision of Saint John
  • The Resurrection
  • View of Toledo
  • The Burial of the Count of Orgaz
  • Saints John the Evangelist and Francis of Assisi
  • The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest