Description
“The Great Artists: A Library of Their Lives, Times and Paintings” is a series of books that explores the lives and works of famous artists. Book 9 in the series is dedicated to El Greco, a fascinating and enigmatic painter from the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
El Greco, whose real name was Domenikos Theotokopoulos, was born in Crete in 1541. He trained in the Byzantine style of painting, which is characterized by its flat planes of color, gold leaf, and spiritual subjects. In 1567, he moved to Venice, where he was exposed to the work of the Italian Renaissance masters, such as Titian and Tintoretto. Their influence can be seen in El Greco’s early work, which is more naturalistic than his later paintings.
In 1577, El Greco moved to Toledo, Spain, where he would live for the rest of his life. Toledo was a center of the Spanish Inquisition, and El Greco’s work reflects the religious fervor of the time. His paintings are often filled with elongated figures, dramatic lighting, and intense emotion. They are both beautiful and unsettling, and they have captivated viewers for centuries.
El Greco died in Toledo in 1614. He is considered one of the most important figures in Spanish art, and his work continues to inspire artists today.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.