El Greco Essay Research Paper

El Greco was born 1541 and died 1614 in Toledo at age 73. He wasnamed at birth Domeniko’s TheotoKopoulos. He was Born in Candia, the capitalof the island of Crete, off the coast of Greece. Nothing is certain is known of the first twenty five years of El Greco’s life,except that he lived on Crete and became a painter. It is thought from laterevents in his life that El Greco recieved a sound education in letters. He camefrom a family of middle or upper classes, which could afford to send their childrento school. He studied under a master named Titian and Tentonetto. He was not selftaught. June 6, 1566 is the first record of El Greco’s existence as a painter. Onthis day Maistro Menegos Theotokopoulos signed a sale in a lottery (sale) for oneof his pictures. After this point the next record of El Greco was August 18, 1568 inVenice. He had gone to venice to develop his talent as a painter and learn aboutItalian art. He later left Italy or Spain to earn a better sale on paintings. El Greco had a Venetian apprentice ship and trained him well in diviningthe personalities of his models and had given him a serious approach to hissubjects. He was not the madman nor the excessive original that people havethought him to be. He was an enthusiastic colorist. He was fond of unusualtones. He sacrificed everything in his search for effects. Despite his mistakes, ElGreco canonly be considered as a great painter. He had an unusual style as thework of a genius. After his arrival in Toledo (July 1577) he formed a relationship with awoman named Jeronima de las Cueuns. He lived with her there after and nevermarried. They had a son named Jorge manuel in 1578. Jorge was trained as apainter and architect and became his father’s partner beginning around 1500. Little is known about El Greco. He made a good income as a painter butwas a poor manage of his finances. He was often in debt. He lived in a largepalace in Toledo owned by the Marquios of Villena. He did not associate with other artists, but with scholars, poets and priests.He worked on treatises concerning the arts of painting. El Greco was known for his quick wit and intelligence, his pride andarrogance. This even led to arguments with customers about the price of hisworks. He created wonderful masterpieces of painting in a style that deserves tobe called original and unconventional. Some thought his paintings were a non realstic stlye and distorted and thatthe figures in them were gaunt and haggard. Some felt he painted modern art, tothe spaniards he was a cultural hero and painted their own national religionsspirit. He will always be known as an old master who spoke in modern work. Hisworks distorted the tones of painting, the human body, and landscape to make allsee what point he was making about a person or a scene he was painting. El Greco is one of the greatest portraitists in the history of painting.