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Artist of the week: El Greco
ARTinvestment.RU 31 октября 2013
In the XVI century, it was snapped up. In the middle of the XVIII his paintings considered "ridiculous" and in 1818th they had no place in the Prado. In the beginning of XX century it was called the forerunner of modernism, and today his paint
This artist is highly appreciated by Picasso and Cezanne , the German Expressionists called him a forerunner of modernism. His works are in the best museums around the world. Today it seems that he has long been entered in the category of Old Masters at the prices on the art market his work comparable with the masterpieces of Raphael . In July this year, his painting "The Prayer of St. Dominic " went at auction for more than 9 million pounds and topped the list of the most expensive works of the artist, sold at public auction .
Meanwhile, the world has opened its art not so long ago : only in the mid XIX century, his paintings have recognized noteworthy. And before that famous art historians (like Antonio Palomino , author of the 1724 " Spanish artists 'biographies ' ) called it , though " good artist , borrowed from his manner of Titian , "but with" ridiculous pictures with distorted figures and annoying color . " Moreover, when in 1818 formed the exposure of the Prado Museum , the place of his work there was not, even though Spain has accepted and recognized him from the Greek island of Crete, who had studied in Italy, a great artist . During the dawn of his fame spread throughout the country, and for a while he had no equal among the painters of Spain. Its Greek name - Domenico Theotokopoulou - was unpronounceable for the Spaniards , so his name was Domenico, Greek, or simply El Greco .
| El Greco Self-Portrait. Detail of the painting " The Burial of Count Orgaz » 1586-1588 Oil on canvas. 480 × 360 Church of Santo Tome , Toledo, Spain Source : santotome.org |
his life is almost no reliable data. Even the year of his birth, we now know from indirect sources : in 1606 , he announced his 65th anniversary . Of those nuggets of information that are now known to art historians , it turns out that's what .
Theotokopoulou Domenico was born in 1541 in the city of Kandy ( Heraklion) on the island of Crete in the family tax collector George Theotokopoulou , it is also known that his brother Manussos , who was ten years older Domenico served at customs and was a member of the City Council of Kandy. It is obvious that the family did not need and probably belonged to the upper class of Cretan society, so it is not surprising that Domenico , as the youngest son , provided all the conditions for the development of natural talent . It is obvious that art fascinated the boy in a fairly early age . So carried away that the teenager was sent to a student icon-painting workshop Klontsasa George , a follower of Theophanes the Greek. Isichasm the basis of all creativity Theophanes the Greek hardly interested in the youth of Catholic families (most of the ruling class in Crete, while the former subordinate to the Republic of Venice , professed Catholicism ), but he apparently adopted from Klontsasa interest to the lighting effects in painting and a number of methods to display them .
| El Greco The Assumption of the Virgin. No later than 1567 board , tempera and gold. 61,4 × 45 Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ermoupolis , about . Syros , Greece Source : wga.hu |
completed education in the studio ( not later in 1566 , when for the first time in the documents he referred to as the artist), about a young El Greco in 1568 goes to the crown that was then one of the main centers of art. In Venice, El Greco , who worked until almost exclusively in the Byzantine iconographic style , met with many of the discoveries of European art - canvas and oil ( the traditional material of Byzantine painting was board and temperature ) , and light and linear perspective, techniques of composition. Acquainted with the work he and the most famous Venetian artists , especially Titian (perhaps he even was his student ) , from whom he borrows attention to the different textures and texture , extends his lead on his palette , preferring rich, deep , complex, iridescent shades . Today, among artists, perhaps influenced by El Greco, also known as Bassano , Veronese , Tintoretto , and a number of Venetian masters , not be ruled out that Tintoretto at the El Greco borrowed the practice of using small wax or wooden models for the layout of large-scale multi-figure composition of their products ( for example - " Expulsion of merchants from the temple »).
 El Greco Expulsion of merchants from the temple No later than 1570 oil on board . 65,4 × 83,2 National Gallery of Art , Washington , USA Source : nga.gov |
Apparently, he studied in Venice, it is relatively short-lived , about 1570, probably wanting to start an independent career , El Greco went to Rome . There's a young artist could count on a quick recognition. Known each other a letter of El Greco, Italian miniaturist Giulio Clovio , which he addressed to his patron , Cardinal Alexander Farnese. The letter calls Clovio El Greco pupil of Titian and mentions his self-portrait ( not extant ), " bringeth a huge impression on all the artists ." At first, the Farnese heed this advice and even invited El Greco to live in his palace . In Rome, El Greco became acquainted with the ancient art of Michelangelo saw and began receiving orders. By his first years in Rome, it includes such well-known works , such as "Pieta ", written clearly influenced by the group of sculptures by Michelangelo. He even gets in his own well-known artist , painting portraits and easel paintings on religious themes (except that , like most of his contemporaries , a serious painting ) . For the full recognition he needed only a large order for altar painting, best of all - the Vatican. But nothing happened , in fact , the young artist lost the support of Cardinal Farnese. There is a legend according to which El Greco, looking at the Sistine Chapel fresco by Michelangelo, seems to be said that if the " daub paint over all this ," he would "do much better". Such in Rome could not tolerate , and the path to rapid fame in Italy for El Greco was closed . ( In general, he was known for his complex character - often pleaded with customers because of the money and argued with clients if they wanted to make changes in their portraits. ) In an attempt to somehow gain a foothold in Italy and get the standing orders of El Greco in 1572 joined the Guild of St. Luke ( the members of which were considered by professional painters and were more likely to rely on the orders ), and even for some time returned to Venice. But it was in vain , the most that it happened - ready to sell the work : it is known that seven paintings bought Fulvio Orsini , librarian of Cardinal Farnese. Five years after the entry into the Guild of St. Luke , realizing that to achieve great success in Italy, he seems to be unable , El Greco decided to try his luck in Spain .
 El Greco Portrait of Giulio Clovio . 1571-1572 Oil on canvas. 58 × 86 National Museum and Gallery of Capodimonte , Naples , Italy Source : wga.hu |  El Greco Pieta . Approx. 1565-1570 Oil on board . 28,9 × 20 Philadelphia Museum of Art , USA Source : philamuseum.org |
initial the purpose of the artist in Spain was undoubtedly Madrid , at the end of the 1570s was just finishing construction of the palace of El Escorial , El Greco and could count to get an order to design its walls. However, the understanding of his work did not meet in Madrid : multicolored Venetian Michelangelo and the volumes were too alien and restrained in strict puritan taste of the Spanish monarchs , lived in Madrid for several months , the artist went to Toledo - the old capital of Spain. We do not know the exact date of his arrival in Spain, but in the chronicles of Toledo 's name was first mentioned July 2, 1577 .
In Toledo, he finally was lucky he found a patron - the Marquis de Villena , who gave him orders and brought to the local high society . It is known that almost immediately healed by El Greco in a big way : took a huge house (according to some sources, the part of the Palace de Vilhena ), and even hired musicians that they entertained him at dinner . Moreover, in 1577 he started a close acquaintance with Jerome de Kuevos , Toledo representative of the nobility , and in 1578 she gave birth to a son - Jorge Manuel , in the future , too, became an artist. (By the way , no information about the marriage of El Greco is not found, so it is believed that he was never married .)
 El Greco in putting off the clothes . 1577-1579 Oil on canvas. 285 × 173 Cathedral , Toledo, Spain Source : wga.hu |  El Greco The Adoration of the name of Christ . The end of the 1570s Oil on board , tempera. 55,1 × 33,8 The National Gallery , London, UK Source : nationalgallery.org.uk |
Finally , El Greco received and these large orders. With 1577 on 1579 he is working on the design of the altar of the monastery of Santo Domingo el Antigyo and at the same time fulfills the order for the Toledo Cathedral - wrote one of his most famous works , " putting off the clothes " ( 1577-1579 , according to other sources - ca. 1600) . Although this canvas and were not satisfied with the customers (some human figures are arranged on it above the figure of Christ is not fully complied with the letter of the Gospel , etc.) , it still hung in the cathedral. To everyone's surprise, the picture was very popular among the citizens and added glory to its author . Popularity in Toledo was pleasant , but to satisfy the ambitions of the artist is clearly insufficient - he still wanted to be recognized as Madrid and the King .
In 1579, El Greco wrote a small picture of the " Adoration of the Name Christ, " in which Philip II and the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, Charles V of worship appeared in the sky the name of Christ . The film was well received at the Escorial , El Greco and finally got the order in Madrid - the altarpiece " The Martyrdom of St. Maurice " (1580-1582) for the Cathedral of the palace .
 El Greco The Martyrdom of St. Maurice . 1580-1582 Oil on canvas. 448 × 301 chapel of the monastery of St. Lorenzo , El Escorial , Madrid, Spain Source : wga.hu |
in this work of El Greco for the first time to fully show his creative individuality , neither in the composition or in the coloring almost without relying on anyone of his teachers , he has created something unique. Unfortunately , who had a passion for beautiful classical canons of Philip II of El Greco's work is not appreciated , and the day of the show instead the audience saw a different picture. According to legend , stung by El Greco promised not to run for the Escorial and returned to Toledo .
In Toledo, El Greco received the recognition he so desired . In 1580 - 90s have already talked about it as a consummate master of portraits and religious paintings not only in the city but also in the whole of Spain . He wrote a large number of portraits of the Spanish nobility , from time to time paid attention to genre paintings (for example, engaged in creative re-creation of works of Greek artists from the descriptions , which are found among historians - for example, the text of Pliny the Elder , he painted " A boy lights a candle ").
 El Greco a lady in fur cape . 1577-1580 Oil on canvas. 62 × 59 Art Gallery and Museum, Kelvingrove , Glasgow, United Kingdom Source : wga.hu |  El Greco Allegory . A boy lights a candle , in the company of monkeys around. 1577-79 /1580 th Oil on canvas. 65 × 90 Private Collection Source : wga.hu |
In his mature works and it solves a lot of artistic tasks - for example, he is interested in the problem of images of different light sources ( possibly due to icon painting lessons in his youth) , he is looking for new possibilities of building dynamic composition , distorting the shape of the human body so that by 1600, at the age his paintings of a human figure is most like swaying in the wind tongue of flame (although there is a version that causes this strain represented objects could be astigmatism , which developed from the artist with age ).
in 1586-1588 years , becoming the already famous and revered painter in Toledo , El Greco of Toledo has created for the church Canto Tome is one of the most famous of his works - the policy work, " The Burial of Count Orgaca ." Despite the quite " historical" title, " The Burial of Count Orgaca " can not be attributed to the historical genre : the story picture illustrates the legend of the miracle that took place within the walls of the cathedral at the beginning of the XIV century. Don Gonzalo Ruiz de Toledo ( earldom his family received later) , Signor town of Orgaz , Toledo was known throughout his devotion and attention to the affairs of the church and especially the large donation to the temple. Legend has it that in 1312 , during the funeral of Don Gonzalo, descended from heaven, St. Stephen and St. Augustine to personally accompany him to the other world .
 El Greco The Burial of Count Orgaz . 1586-1588 Oil on canvas, 480 × 360 Church of Santo Tome , Toledo, Spain Source : wga.hu |
In the work of El Greco failed to fully show all facets of his talent - and as a secular portrait painter, and as a master of religious paintings. Compositional pattern is divided into two almost equal parts, two realities - the earthly world and the world of heaven . The artist, departing from generally accepted tradition, leaves no visible boundary between the worlds - instead, it uses different manner of writing at the top and bottom of the job. The figures of saints extremely abstract and flat, their luminous , elongated features virtually no apparent physicality, while representatives of the real world into the bottom of the works were written in an emphatically realistic manner , in accordance with the tradition of writing a formal group portrait . Among the saints surrounding the figure of Christ in the uppermost part of the work , you can see the face of Philip II and Cardinal Tavera , renowned for his piety - apparently , the artist still has not lost hope for the favor of Madrid. A funeral procession of the XIV century in the lower part of the picture , in accordance with the terms of the contract , El Greco was out of his contemporaries - the noble inhabitants of Toledo century XVI. Interestingly, among the participants of the procession and the artist has depicted himself ( thus having ranked his person to the very highest of Toledo society ) it - the only character that looks out of the picture directly at the viewer . Moreover , the artist put into the work and his son Jorge Manuel in the image 's page . In the bag 's page you can see a scarf with the inscription "I created the El Greco " and the date " 1578 " (year of birth ).
By the 1590 s of the art of El Greco's style has developed completely. The artist also developed a system of writing : on the ground covered with white glue on canvas , he usually gets in Imprimatur ( color shading ), brown (often - burnt umber ) . Line drawing and paint he put so that the soil and umber were visible through it. El Greco was important to create a sense of lightness , transparency and incorporeal figure . For this, he imposed a super-thin layers of paint , simulated forms on the canvas almost pearl , pearl- gray tones , achieving a delicate shades by adding white paint and subtle glazes (reception in the painting when the paint is applied in a thin , translucent layer) , a layer of paint in some places his work is almost certain glazes , which are only lightly cover with white primer , in the shadows of brown Imprimatura often remained untouched .
| El Greco Penitent Mary Magdalene . 1585-1590 Oil on canvas. 109 × 96 Museum Cau Ferrat , Sitges, Spain Source : wga.hu |  El Greco Carrying the Cross . 1577-1587 Oil on canvas. 105 × 79 Metropolitan Museum , New York , USA Source : metmuseum.org |
In Toledo, the artist received large number of orders on religious themes , mostly he wrote the Crucifixion , the Holy Family , the Virgin Mary , pictures of saints and apostles (I wonder what his religious works were esteemed contemporaries as icons ) . In addition, he was still known as a successful portraitist . There were so many orders that his most popular works by El Greco often replicated , creating several versions of the same story , and it even resorted to the help of his studio artists . With a growing number of orders and helped to cope appeared during this period of " proprietary techniques " in the song : "dramatic pose " portrayed characters - squashed or shown in prayer hands , tears standing in his eyes, and so on are combined in his work with ' dramatic landscape background " - usually a hectic sky, a gust of wind bent trees .
in the years 1587-1592 El Greco wrote his famous painting" The Apostles Peter and Paul . " In the future, this story has evolved into a series of images of the apostles - " Apostolados " (1605-1610 and 1610-1614 ) . A decade from 1597 to 1607 - one of the most productive periods in the artist's work .
 El Greco The Apostles Peter and Paul . 1587-1592 Oil on canvas. 121,5 × 105 The State Hermitage Museum , St. Petersburg Source : hermitagemuseum.org |  El Greco Removal of the Fifth Seal ( The Vision of St. John the Evangelist ). 1608-1614 Oil on canvas . 222,3 × 193 Metropolitan Museum , New York , USA Source : metmuseum.org |
Being incredibly popular and fashionable artist , El Greco tried anything to keep up with his wealthy clients and friends from high society. He always lived beyond their means, on a large scale , organized feasts, inviting musicians , etc. it is known that by 1607 its debt is several times higher than the value of his property. by the end of his life the artist was almost ruined. recalls that many of his big room house had been sealed and closed. life was only a few rooms and in the artist's studio . Such a reversal of fortune could not affect the work. works of the last ten years El Greco's life imbued with tragedy , the idea of the futility of all things and approaching doomsday . protagonists of his paintings become apostles (series " Apostolados ") and numerous martyrs. One of the last works of the artist was painting "The Opening of the Fifth printing " ( 1608-1614 ) , dedicated to the theme of the apocalypse .
