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Wonderful paintings by El Greco

Portrait of an elderly man. Presumably the self-portrait of El Greco, 1600

Wonderful paintings by El Greco. Portrait of an elderly man. Presumably the self-portrait of El Greco, 1600


El Greco was a Greek painter who settled in Spain. He evolved a highly personal style with mannerist traits. He was a great religious painter and a master portraitist. El Greco is regarded as one of the greatest painters of all time. His paintings are known for their brilliant colors and strong contrasts of light and shadow.
His real name was Domenikos Theotokopoulos. According to his own statement, he was born in 1541 in Candia, Crete. He went to the great artistic center of Venice. The date of his arrival in Italy is unknown, but it may have been as early as 1560. During his stay in Italy he became known as II Greco and later he was called El Greco. He was said to be a pupil of Titian.
El Greco left Italy for Spain in the late 1570s. He settled in Toledo, Spain, which was then a religious and cultural center.

Allegory of the Spanish proverb

Allegory of the Spanish proverb


In 1577 he created his first masterpiece the Assumption of the Virgin from the high altar of S. Domingo el Antiguo, Toledo. Other important paintings are the Crucifixion with Two Donors (Paris) and the Holy Family (New York).
The high altar (1597-1599) of the chapel of S. Jose, Toledo, is dedicated to St. Joseph with the Christ Child.
El Greco had a love affair with Dona Jeronima de las Cuevas, by whom he had a son, Jorge Manuel Theotocopuli.
His last major commission was for the high altar and lateral altars of the Hospital of St. John Extra Muros, unfinished at his death.
El Greco remained in Toledo until his death on April 7, 1614.
He produced numerous religious works dedicated to the Passion of Christ, such as Christ Carrying the Cross and the Crucifixion, as well as two series of the 12 Apostles.
He prepared an edition of the Roman architectural treatise of Vitruvius, which has been lost. The scholar Fray Hortensio Paravicino and the poet Luis de Gongora y Argote wrote poems about El Greco’s works.

Wonderful paintings by El Greco

Altar paintings and images of saints for the church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo

Altar paintings and images of saints for the church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo

Assumption of the Virgin (circa 1560-1567)

Assumption of the Virgin (circa 1560-1567)

Blowing, 1570-72

Blowing, 1570-72

Christ Carrying the Cross, 1580s. Metropolitan Museum, New York

Christ Carrying the Cross, 1580s. Metropolitan Museum, New York

Christ with a square halo, 1595

Christ with a square halo, 1595

Lady with a Flower in Her Hair. 1590-1600. Private collection.

Lady with a Flower in Her Hair. 1590-1600. Private collection.

Modena triptych, 1567-68

Modena triptych, 1567-68

Portrait of a gentleman with a hand on his chest (circa 1577-1579)

Portrait of a gentleman with a hand on his chest (circa 1577-1579)

Portrait of a Lady, 1594-1601, Philadelphia

Portrait of a Lady, 1594-1601, Philadelphia

Portrait of a young monk

Portrait of a young monk

Portrait of an old man. Presumably self-portrait of El Greco

Portrait of an old man. Presumably self-portrait of El Greco

Portrait of Pius V

Portrait of Pius V

Portrait of the artist Giulio Clovio. Naples, National Museum of Capodimonte

Portrait of the artist Giulio Clovio. Naples, National Museum of Capodimonte

Portrait of the artist Jorge Manuel

Portrait of the artist Jorge Manuel

Return from Egypt, 1567

Return from Egypt, 1567

Ritratto del cardinale Fernando Nino de Guevara

Ritratto del cardinale Fernando Nino de Guevara

Saint Ildefonso, 1607. Washington National Gallery

Saint Ildefonso, 1607. Washington National Gallery

Saint Martin and the Beggar, 1597-1600

Saint Martin and the Beggar, 1597-1600

St. Apostle John the Theologian (1610-1614)

St. Apostle John the Theologian (1610-1614)

St. Louis King of France Louis IX

St. Louis King of France Louis IX

St. Veronica with the Image of the Holy Face, 1580. Museum of Santa Cruz, Toledo

St. Veronica with the Image of the Holy Face, 1580. Museum of Santa Cruz, Toledo

Stigmatization of St. Francis, 1585-1590, Baltimore, Walters Art Museum

Stigmatization of St. Francis, 1585-1590, Baltimore, Walters Art Museum

The Annunciation of Mary

The Annunciation of Mary

The boy in the picture is the son of El Greco

The boy in the picture is the son of El Greco

The burial of Count Orgas, 1586-1588

The burial of Count Orgas, 1586-1588

The Head of Christ

The Head of Christ

The lady in the furs, 1577-1580

The lady in the furs, 1577-1580

The Last Supper. Bologna National Picture Gallery

The Last Supper. Bologna National Picture Gallery

The Virgin Mary, 1590s, Strasbourg

The Virgin Mary, 1590s, Strasbourg

View and Map of Toledo

View and Map of Toledo

View of Toledo, 1597-99

View of Toledo, 1597-99