| El Greco, real name Domenikos Theotokopolous, is | | | | 1567, 'The Dormition of the Virgin,' displayed a touch of |
| recognized as one of the most innovative artists in the | | | | Mannerism blended with the Byzantine elements. In |
| art history. He was born in Candia, Crete (then a part | | | | 1570, he travelled to Rome and set up a workshop |
| of Venice (Italy) & now in Greece), in 1541, in a | | | | there. The same year, he made a portrait of his friend |
| well to do Greek orthodox family. It was rumored that | | | | and the great Italian Miniaturist Giorgio Giulio Clovio |
| Domenikos converted to Catholicism sometime after | | | | (1498-1578), which established his talents as an |
| he travelled to Europe at the age of twenty-six. Very | | | | extraordinary portraitist. Giulio Clovio even once |
| little is known about his family except that his father | | | | described the painter as 'a rare talent in painting.' |
| Georgios Theotokopoulos was a merchant and tax | | | | Greco finally settled in Toledo, Spain, in 1577. Here he |
| collector and he had an elder brother Manoussos | | | | received his very first commission for the Church of |
| Theotokopoulos. The artist acquired the nickname | | | | San Domingo el Antiguo at Toledo. During 1977-79, he |
| Greco (the Greek) during his stay in Italy, as the | | | | made nine paintings for them, including 'The Assumption |
| citizens there found it difficult to pronounce his name. | | | | of a Virgin' (1577-79) and 'Trinity' (1579). El Greco lived |
| Later, when he moved to Spain his name was finalized | | | | with his Spanish female companion Jeronima de Las |
| as El Greco. His | | | | Cuevas. She was also the mother to his only son |
| El Greco's talents ranged from painting, sculpting, | | | | Jorge Manuel Theotocopuli (1578-1631). Greco and |
| & engraving to architecture. His initial learning | | | | Jeronima never married, as it was believed that the |
| started as an icon painter at the Cretan School. He | | | | artist had an estranged wife in Italy. |
| studied Greek & Latin literatures, and got well | | | | Greco's son became one of his few followers. The |
| versed in the Post-Byzantine Art. By 1563, he had | | | | artist even had a brief stint at the Spanish Court, |
| achieved mastery in his field. Around 1567, he went to | | | | where he painted the 'Allegory of the Holy League' |
| live in Venice, Italy. Here he furthered his artistic skills | | | | (1578-79), and 'Martyrdom of St Maurice' (1580-1582). |
| under the great masters of High Renaissance, like | | | | Unfortunately, King Phillip did not approve of the artist's |
| Titian (1490-1576) and Tintoretto (1518-94). | | | | flamboyant style & anti naturalist approach and |
| Theotokopolous' prominent work that finished before | | | | soon he was replaced. |