It is 500 years since El Greco, the Greek-born Spanish Renaissance artist and sculptor, originally named Doménikos Theotokópoulos, was born in Crete in 1541. A keen artist, he travelled to Venice at the age of 26 years. He then studied in Italy developing techniques in the elements of ‘Mannerism’ and ‘Venetian Renaissance’ art.
Often considered a precursor of both ‘Expressionism’ and ‘Cubism’, El Greco’s work was a source of inspiration to Rainer Maria Rilke and Nikos Kazantzakis. His initial training began as an icon painter of the Cretan school, the leading centre of post-Byzantine art. By 1577, he moved to Toledo, Spain, where he lived and worked until his death in Toledo on 7th April 1614. The following statement by himself states it all:
“I hold the imitation of color to be the greatest difficulty of art.”
El Greco – “I give this my stamp of approval”.
For further examples of artists – see my Gallery Artist page.
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