El Greco
Domenicos Theotokopoulos
3 Geniko Lykeio Galatsi
Sept 2022
Greek painter
Short Biography and Representative Paintings
Domenicos Theotokopoulos, (El Greco) was born in 1541, in Crete, which was at that time part of the Republic of Venice, and the center of Post-Byzantine art. His parents were Greek Orthodox. Along with painting he studied classics.
In the beginning he painted icons in the style of the post- Byzantine Cretan School, where influences from the Italian Renaissance are apparent. In 1567 he left Crete for Venice, where there is evidence that he studied under great Venetian painter Titian and became familiar with the art of Venetian School of the Renaissance. From 1570 to 1577 he lived in Rome, where he met many intellectuals. His painting during this period combined the lavish Venetian color with the spindly dynamic figures of the Roman mannerists.
In 1577 El Greco left for Spain, like many Italian artists who went there in order to work on the decoration of the Escorial palace. The King of Spain , Philip II, did not appreciate Theotokopoulos’ art, which was considered somewhat bizarre. El Greco settled permanently in Toledo. Far from the influence of Italians and the intrigues of the court, El Greco discovered his inner self, and created an art of sublime spirituality, where Byzantium, the Renaissance and Mannierism were fused into an original and unique style.
Theotokopoulos died in Toledo in 1614 without ever returning to his homeland. He always signed his works in Greek, using Byzantine characters: «Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος ο Κρης εποίει»
El Greco's style has found appreciation mainly since the 20th century. El Greco is considered a forerunner of both Expressionism and Cubism.
Portrait of a man, considered a self-portrait of El Greco
El Greco,
The Burial of the Count of Orgaz,
1586-88
@ Iglesia de SantoTomé
El Expolio, de El Greco
(Museo de Santa Cruz de Toledo)
El Greco, View of Toledo,
1598-99 |
@ Metropolitan Museum of Art
El Greco, The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1612-14
@ Museo del Prado