You have to love "The Greek". Besides successfully blending Byzantine stylings, the Venetian School's use of color and 16th-century Spain's religious fervor for the Catholic Church, he also managed to make those creepy elongated human figures of Mannerism look almost normal. (Every now and then, one reads that poor El Greco had severe astigmatism. Perhaps he did, but that does not explain the rest of Mannerism, now, does it?)El Greco seems admirable, too, for his staunch individualism. Far from trying to blend in, he was happy to be known as a Greek in Spain. Even the Counter-Reformation (call it the Spanish Inquisition, if you wish) couldn't force him to comply; he lived in unwedded bliss with the mother of his child. Considering where and when he lived, I'd say he did an excellent job of keeping a sense of self, all right. I'd like to thank Angela, who wrote to say that El Greco and his Burial of Count Orgaz inspired her love of art at a tender age. A question for you all: Who or what inspired you to enjoy art?
Comments