Originally published in Dutch and translated to Spanish for the fourth centenary celebration of the death of El Greco in 2014, this book is a comprehensive study of the rediscovery of El Greco -- seen as one of the most important events of its kind in art history. The Nationalization of Culture versus the Rise of Modern Art analyses how changes in artistic taste in the second half of the nineteenth century caused a profound revision of the place of El Greco in the artistic canon. As a result, El Greco was transformed from an extravagant outsider and a secondary painter into the founder of the Spanish School and one of the principle predecessors of modern art, increasingly related to that of the Impressionists -- due primarily to the German critic Julius Meier-Graefe's influential History of Modern Art (1914). This shift in artistic preference has been attributed to the rise of modern art but Eric Storm, a cultural historian, shows that in the case of El Greco nationalist motives were even more important. This study examines the work of painters, art critics, writers, scholars and philosophers from France, Germany and Spain, and the role of exhibitions, auctions, monuments and commemorations. Paintings and associated anecdotes are discussed, and historical debates such as El Greco's supposed astigmatism are addressed in a highly readable and engaging style. This book will be of interest to both specialists and the interested art public.

A visually stunning examination of El Greco’s work that considers the artist’s constant reinvention and professional drive Renowned for a singular artistic vision, Domenikos Theotokopoulos, known as El Greco (1541–1614), developed his distinctive painting style as he assiduously pursued professional success. This fresh and engaging survey of El Greco’s work explores varied aspects of the artist’s career—his aesthetic education in Italy, the mixed reception of his mature works in Spain, his uncompromising approach to business, and the baroque logistics of his Toledo workshop—and reveals the depth of El Greco’s astounding ambition. The impressive volume focuses in particular on his 1577–79 altarpiece paintings for the Church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo in Toledo—among them the magnificent Assumption of the Virgin—which heralded the artist’s arrival in Spain after productive periods of formation and re-formation in Crete, Venice, and Rome. Lavishly illustrated and clothbound with gilded edges, this publication features reproductions and scholarly discussions of more than 60 works ranging from large-scale canvases to intimate panels, with essays that elucidate the motives and meanings behind the artist’s constantly changing and inventive approach.

Provides a unique insight into El Greco's paintings of the landscape and monuments of Toledo.Particular atteneion is paid to El Greco's works: 'The Burial of the Count of Orgaz' and 'El Esplolio'. One section is devoted to El Greco's house and museum, which are regarded as great treasures of Toledo.

The bold and unusual religious paintings of the Spanish artist El Greco (c. 1541 1614) have aroused widespread interest and wonder, but until now little has been known about the artist's patrons. This is the first comprehensive study of the several individuals who financed, encouraged and influenced El Greco's extraordinary artistic endeavours. Mann reconstructs the lives of several of the artist's patrons and demonstrates how El Greco's pictorial ensemble reflected the patrons' concerns. Thus the actual context of El Greco's work is established. The book indicates that the artist's patrons helped to shape both the style and iconography of the paintings, and clarifies the precise nature of the connection between the paintings and Spanish mysticism. In studying the purposes and meaning of El Greco's religious paintings, the author thereby provides the basis for a new interpretation of the artist's work and presents many insights into life in sixteenth-century Spain.

Exploring all the available sources, this study, which until now was only available in Greek, presents us with an account of El Greco's life up to the time he left Crete for Italy in 1567 at the age of twenty-six, already an accomplished professional painter. Nikolaos Panagiotakes provides a thorough assessment of earlier research on Crete of the 16th century then goes on to present new conclusions on the life of El Greco deriving from the author's firsthand reading of Venetian archive material, including questions relating to his birthplace, family, name, religious affiliation, and apprenticeship as a painter. The evidence indicates that El Greco was an established professional 'master painter' earlier than had previously been thought and also that he had a family before leaving Crete, thus perhaps explaining why he did not later marry Jerónima de las Cuevas, with whom he had a son in Toledo. This work marks a valuable contribution to El Greco scholarship, particularly in its thoroughly substantiated assessment of the evidence regarding the formative years in the life of El Greco, one of the greatest of all European artists.

Looks at the full range of the sixteenth century artist's work in painting and sculpture, from his Byzantine icons to his late altarpieces.

Presents a comprehensive selection of masterpieces by El Greco, accompanied by informative essays.

Includes 85 full-color illustrations and 268 black-and-white illustrations. Demonstrates the nature of El Greco's wayward and compelling art and reveals him as one of Europe's greatest painters.

Published in conjunction with an exhibition held at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Apr. 20-July 27, 2008 and at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Aug. 21-Nov. 9, 2008.

Greek artist Domínikos Theotokópoulos, usually referred to as El Greco, is considered one of the most outstanding artists of the late sixteenth century. He became the main representative of Mannerism in Spain with an individual style that was unusual and groundbreaking for his time and provided inspiration for modernists centuries later.