(Domenikos Theotokopoulos) El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos) “He worked not for worldy applause but worked for a greater century to come. Crete gave him life and a painter’s brush but {in} Toledo he achieved eternal life.”

His Life In 1541, he was born on the isle of Crete. In his 20’s, he went to Venice where he studied under Titan and Tintoretto. He later went to Rome where Clovio, a renowned Italian Renaissance painter, became his mentor and guide.

His Life—Con’t. There he painted The Last Judgement and was asked to change it so that it fit the ideas of the church. He refused as he would not conform to common artistic styles and ideas. After this in 1577, he was forced to leave Rome for Spain with his partner, Jeronima de las Cuevas.

His Life—Con’t. In 1578, his son, Jorge Emanuel was born. He petitioned to become a painter for King Phillip II two times. The first was with a painting called Allegory of the Holy League and the second was with The Martyrdom of St. Maurice. The king did not approve of his work either time.

His Life—Con’t. He decided to live in Toledo where he was greatly admired by friends and colleagues which assured his livelihood, wealth and fame. In April of 1614, he died at the age of 73.

His Style There are 3 main influences on my art: Byzantine Influence, the foundation of his work Spiritual icons, elongated bodies, slender limbs He was influential in creating a style based on impressions and emotion, featuring elongated fingers and vibrant color and brushwork.  Lack of perspective, proportion, and rational space Concerned with traditional spiritual values, & not concerned with the imitation of reality

Byzantine art is almost entirely concerned with religious expression and, more specifically, with the impersonal translation of carefully controlled church theology into artistic terms. Its forms of architecture and painting grew out of these concerns and remained uniform and anonymous, perfected within a rigid tradition rather than varied according to personal whim; the result was a sophistication of style and a spirituality of expression rarely paralleled in Western art.

His Style-Con’t. There are 3 main influences on his art: Italian Renaissance Influence richness of color, & strong contrasts between light and dark Attention to realistic detail Detailed architectural backgrounds

His Style-Con’t. There are 3 main influences on his art: Spanish religious matter and mysticism His style is a combination of these with a mix of realism and the supernatural, detailed bodies and faces, separation of heaven and earth, strong religious themes, and brilliant color His style is so individual that he does not belong to any conventional school of art. “Engaging oneself to go beyond the limits of one’s own art is the highest aim of all.” (El Greco)

El Greco Martyrdom of St. Maurice 1580 Painted for the summer palace, El Escorial, of King Phillip II It tells the story of Maurice, a legendary warrior and commander of the Theban Legion. He and his soldiers refused to participate in certain pagan rites. The Emperor (Maximian Herculeus) punished them with execution. The Escorial was the center for the crusade for the Faith so this was an appropriate subject for the palace. It expresses the conviction of faith that inspired the crusade. It was not accepted by the king.

El Greco Burial of Count Orgaz 1586 Painted for the church of Santo Tomé It tells the story of Don Gonzalo Ruíz, a native of Toledo, and Count of the town of Orgaz. He was a generous man who, among other charitable acts, left a sum of money for the enlargement and adornment of the church of Santo Tomé. According to legend, at the time he was buried, Saint Stephen & Saint Augustine personally came down from heaven and buried him with their own hands. There is a clear distinction between heaven (swirling icy clouds) and earth (normal proportions).

El Greco Burial of Count Orgaz 1586—Con’t. 6. Saints are tall and phantom-like, dressed in golden & red garments and the count is dressed in golden armor that reflects the colors of the saints. 7. The men attending the funeral are prominent members of Toledan society and create the bridge separating the heaven and earth. 8. The boy to the left is pointing out the scene and is El Greco’s son, Jorge. 9. In Jorge’s pocket is a handkerchief with El Greco’s signature and the year 1578 (Jorge’s birth year)

El Greco View of Toledo 1597-1599 It was rare to find simple landscape paintings at that time so this makes him the first landscape painter in Spanish art. The sky is dark, sinister, and foreboding. The buildings are moved around to suit him. There is a sharp contrast between the sky and the earth below.

El Greco Adoration of Shepards 1614 Shows the influence of Spanish mysticism along with strong Italian colors and use of light. Full of strange shapes and poses (Byzantine influence) Gives a feeling of exaltation and a feeling of wonder. Mary’s face shows peace and tranquility as the light shines from the infant’s body.

El Greco Laocoon 1610-1614 Tells the story of Poseidon’s priest of Troy who attempted to warn the city of the Trojan Horse that was full of Greeks. The gods sent sea serpents to devour Laocoon and his 2 sons as punishment. This acts out the legendary doom of Troy, yet El Greco puts the scene in front of Toledo