One of the few old masters that is very popular today is El Greco. His paintings took pride of place among the works of famous artists. The masterpieces of El Greco delighted many of his contemporaries, and after the death of the maestro, many followers appeared who adopted the technique of the talented painter.
Crete, or Creation of Religious Canvases
El Greco was born on the island of Crete. This piece of the Mediterranean belonged to the rich Venetian "empire". The rulers of this power terrorized and enslaved the locals. They were interested in the Greek Orthodox churches. The Byzantines allowed the icon painters of Crete to create religious paintings in the traditional Byzantine style.
At the age of twenty-five, El Greco set about creating altar images. Cretan artists borrowed the style of Italian masters. So there was a mixed Greek-Venetian style, manifested in the first work of El Greco. This damaged icon is located in a church on the island of Syros. It depicts the death of the Holy Virgin Mary. But Crete was small, and the artist's ambitions were great. El Greco, whose paintings, in his opinion, could not have become popular in his homeland, decides to leave the island.
The period of life and work in Venice
He moved to Venice in 1567 and there he began to master the elements of Renaissance painting. Among his best works of this period is "Christ Heals the Blind." This topic was especially popular during the time of the Counter-Reformation, because the healing of blindness was a symbol of the revelation of true faith. The Catholic Church tried to regain its former power by creating a movement called the Reformation. And El Greco, being a religious person, became one of the most influential artists of this plan.
After staying in Venice for three years, the master went south - to the center of Catholic and classical culture (Rome), where he worked from 1570 to 1576. He arrived with a letter of recommendation from the Croatian miniaturist Giulio Clovio, which provided him with accommodation and work in the palace of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, who was the richest and most influential patron in all of Rome.
Unsuccessful career in Rome, or criticism of Michelangelo
Of course, this city made a huge impression on El Greco. The paintings that he writes during this period are portraits to order, small prayer paintings and sculptures created for higher-ranking clients. Luck smiles at him and even manages to earn some money. But one of the reasons why El Greco did not achieve popularity in Rome and did not gain important patrons was his criticism of Michelangelo, who was known as a highly respected person in this city.
In 1576, El Greco went on a journey again. He decides to move to Spain and appear in the service of King Philip II. The church and royal court of this country patronized art. The city in which El Greco settled is Toledo. It was there that he remained until the end of his days.
The city that became the last refuge of the artist
When the artist arrived in Spain, he was thirty-six. Toledo was the country's cultural center, and soon El Greco felt at home. It was at this time that the city was completely rebuilt. Streets expanded, new buildings were erected, the most important of which was the Cathedral. And the artist received his first order here. We are talking about the epic canvas "Stripping from Christ." This is the first masterpiece of El Greco.
His paintings are finally becoming popular. Moreover, the artist finds his own style. Images become not only narrative, but also dynamic. El Greco picks vibrant and vibrant colors. He was lucky, and he had the first serious customer, and then his work attracted the attention of the king himself.
Artwork commissioned by Philip
What kind of paintings did El Greco paint for Philip ? The description of his further career tells that the artist received an order to create an altar image called “Martyrdom of St. Mauritius”. At the bottom of the picture you can see Mauritius himself, dressed in blue armor and discussing the possibility of a battle with the soldiers. But another fate awaited him.
In the left part of the canvas, the viewer again sees the main character, looking at what is happening, then he himself, but naked, bowed in prayer, and finally beheaded. It is immediately noticeable how strong the influence of the Venetian masters on El Greco turned out to be. But Philip II did not accept this picture in the idea of an image for the altar, but included it in his personal collection.
Creativity El Greco, or Paintings for Little Chapels
At the age of forty-two, the artist was engaged in writing canvases for small churches and chapels. But what about the other paintings by El Greco, whose names are familiar to many art lovers? It was during this period that the most famous creation of the painter was created - "The Burial of Count Orgas." It was a nobleman who lived in the fourteenth century. During his funeral, a miracle happened: Saints Stephen and Augustine descended from heaven and lowered the deceased into a coffin. And the masterpiece we mentioned just depicts this story.
We briefly reviewed the biography of the talented El Greco. His paintings are always very large in content. No wonder his work, rediscovered in the nineteenth century, had an impact on the artists of that time. And today this man is considered one of the greatest painters of world scale.