Tina

Christina Yu   9H Español February 15, 2010 Cultural Project Report: El Greco Doménikos Theotokópoulos, although mainly referred to as El Greco, was born in 1541 in Crete. His roots traced him to be Greek, which is how he acquired the name, El Greco. One may question why a Spanish artist would be known as “The Greek.” Many artists were referred to according to ancestry and heritage, thus, he would become a famous Spanish painter, sculptor, and architect as “El Greco.” Doménikos Theotokópoulos was influenced by the current style of his time, primarily the Byzantine style; however, he would incorporate the Venetian Renaissance style in his later works. Other artists impacted his style that he applied in numerous paintings and sculptures. In 1566, El Greco traveled to Venice where he began his skillful mastery of painting under his masters, Titan and Tintoretto. Titan, an Italian painter in Venice, was the most renowned painter of El Greco’s time and established himself as the leading painter of the Republic of Venice. Titan experimented in using a variety of bold colors, which influenced much of El Greco’s work. Titan created many pieces of art for Philip II of Spain. Because of Titan’s success, this may have instigated El Greco’s move to Spain in his twenties. Tintoretto’s work consisted of compositions of the people and the use of space, which also influenced El Greco’s early work. El Greco traveled to Rome at an early age. When he arrived, it was after the death of Michelangelo, although he used many of Michelangelo’s work for guidance. In his later life, El Greco mentioned how he did not believe Michelangelo to be a good painter, which is ironic and contradictory considering the fact that Michelangelo was one of El Greco’s inspirations. El Greco even offered to paint over Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment” in the Sistine Chapel. Both Michelangelo and El Greco painted religious figures and scenes. El Greco combined the styles of Titan, Tintoretto, and Michelangelo into his early stages of work, but he would soon be the influence for many artists after him. El Greco moved to Spain somewhere around 1577, as the exact date is unknown. What may have influenced this move was the opportunity to create frescos for the monastery of San Lorenzo at El Escorial. His master and biggest influence, Titan, had created works for Philip II of Spain. However, El Greco showed Phillip his art, but was denied commission. After this rejection, he spent the rest of his life creating sculptures and paintings for other churches and monasteries on commission. His first commission in Spain was in a conventional church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo from 1577-1579. El Greco created the architectural design for the altars and painted the high altar and the two lateral altars. The paintings done on the altars were the most brilliant in his early stages of art. El Greco’s style steered away from that of his masters and Michelangelo. His artwork was later categorized in cubism, a new form that Pablo Picasso would be influenced by. El Greco used cubism in facial structure, space, and highlighted certain aspects in his paintings. Pablo Picasso also referred to El Greco’s paintings of human anatomy during the blue period, in which using hues of blues and greens were popular. El Greco focused mainly on religious paintings and the distortions of the human figure. Many paintings and sculptures display how he used bright colors and elongated human form. He also experimented with pigmentation, as seen in “The Burial of the Count Orgaz.” El Greco strived to make his own mark in art history. By protesting to the work of Michelangelo, he attracted many enemies who tried to force him out of Rome. When Doménikos Theotokópoulos traveled to Spain, he began to incorporate his personal style with those of other great artists. He created many masterpieces, such as “The Assumption,” one of his most well known pieces. He was born in Crete and was called by name as “The Greek,” but his life did not truly start until he pursued his passion for art in Toledo.

(see link for picture: **The Burial of Count Orgaz**) http://janawana23.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/el_greco_-_the_burial_of_the_count_of_orgaz.jpg Greco’s most famous work, //The Burial of Count Orgaz// was created in 1586. Unlike Titian’s influence of the use of empty space, there is no visible ground or horizon. Many men, angels, and people fill the vast majority in the painting. The eye is immediately drawn to the lower portion of the painting. The majority of the lower half is colored in black robes worn by the men. In front of them stand Saints Augustine and Stephen, wearing golden-yellow and red vestments, causing them to stand out in importance. The eye is drawn to Orgaz, draped over a white garment. The man standing on the right is Saint John the Baptist. Greco is known to depict important images through the color white, as seen near Count Orgaz. The other men dressed in black vestments are prominent figures in Toledo ’s society. The upper part of the painting depicts the gateway to heaven with Jesus at the entrance. There is some depth shown, as the figures appear smaller the higher up in the painting. Following Jesus in the center to Count Orgaz below, there is a vertical strip of light in the center of the painting, as if the gateway to heaven is being opened and the Count is being summoned to Jesus. The tones throughout the painting are strong and ceremonial of gold and red. The people are in proportion, although they are composed of elongated figures which are common in El Greco’s works. //The Burial of Count Orgaz// does consist of any perspective. (see link for picture: **Version 1: The Purification of the Temple**) http://www.lib-art.com/imgpainting/7/8/11587-the-purification-of-the-temple-el-greco.jpg (see link for picture: **Version 2: The Purification of the Temple**) http://www.lib-art.com/imgpainting/4/1/11714-the-purification-of-the-temple-el-greco.jpg (see link for picture: **Version 3: Christ Driving the Traders from the Temple**) http://www.aug.edu/augusta/iconography/webmuseum/cleanseTempleElGreco.1591.jpg (see link for picture: **Final Version (4): The Purification of the Temple**) http://www.thecityreview.com/elgrec4.jpg

 **Version 2: Purification of the** **Temple** || || This is the fist of four versions of El Greco’s //Purification of the Temple//. He created the painting four times until he was satisfied with the color contrast. El Greco once said he believed the color contrast took precedence over the form. In the first version, there is an obvious contrast of dark and light. Through the archway, the light illuminated from the sky (alluding to heaven) is visible as the only source of light in the painting. All of the figures remain dark, symbolizing man being draw to the darkness of sin; however, the nude figures and the face of Jesus are cast with more light than the others. The human form is proportional and the structure of the arch and perspective are relatively proportional. El Greco recreated the painting until he had the correct color contrast. In the first version, there are animals at the bottom, but are omitted in the second version. The nude figures were covered by other figures in the second version. The architectural design changes throughout the four versions. In the second version, El Greco leaves out the animals. The third version, //Christ Driving the Traders from the Temple//, is similar to the first version, although lacking the vast majority of the animals. There also  **Version 4: The Purification of the** **Temple** || || appears to be four men in the bottom right corner facing outward, representing the outside ignorant and apathetic people. There is an absence of the animals as well. The most dramatic change in the four versions of //The Purification of the Temple// is the transition from the first three versions to the fourth version. The focus is shifted from the outside porch to the inner sanctuary, the focus strictly on the people in the Temple. The figures in the final version are more detailed in their form and actions. El Greco paints the people in darker tones, which makes the figures appear to be under stress. The darker tones enable one to see how contorted the bodies are. This may also be due to the absence of light through the archway. __ Vocabulario: Inglés-Español __ Painter || Una pintura || Sculptor || Un escultor || Architect || Un aquitecto || Byzantine style || Estilo Byzantine || Bold colors || Los colores fuertes || Religious figures and scenes || Las figuras y las escenas religiosos || Altar || Un altar || Lateral || El lateral || Space || El espacio || Cubism || El cubismo || Monasteries || Monasterios || Commission || La comisión || Elongated || Alargado || Version || La versión || Figures || Las figuras || Light || La luz || Dark || La oscuridad || Tone || El Timbre || Purification of the Temple  || La Purificación del Templo || Christ Driving the Traders from the Temple  || Cristo Conduciendo los Comerciantes del Templo ||