Three Spanish Masters El Greco, Velázquez and Goya

Three Spanish Masters El Greco, Velazquez and Goya are three great painters whose work spans 2 1/2 centuries of Spanish history. They did not all paint in one “Spanish” style Each artist is separate, unique representative of Spain’s rich cultural tradition.

El Greco C. 1541 - 1614

El Greco His name was Domenikos Theotokopoulos “El Greco” means “the Greek’ in Spanish Birthplace was Crete, a Greek island then under the control of Venice.

Artwork #1 Saint Martin and the Beggar 1597-1599

El Greco One of the Mannerist painters from the art style - “Mannerism” Human forms painted by El Greco were distorted - often elongated.

Artwork #2 The Holy Family with Saint Anne and the Infant John the Baptist c. 1595/1600

Velázquez 1599 - 1660

Diego Velázquez Birthplace was Seville, Spain Parents came from the hidalgo class (the lower class of nobility). Court Painter to Philip of Spain

Artwork #3 Las Meninas 1656

Diego Velázquez His painting of Pope Innocent X received a gold medallion from the Pope often choose to flatter the royal persons that he painted Influenced by Peter Paul Rubens

Artwork #4 Pope Innocent X c. 1650

Goya 1746 - 1828

Francisco de Goya Goya’s beginning painting style was influenced by the NEOCLASSIC art style Designed tapestries Duke & Duchess of Osuna were important patrons of Goya. Birthplace was Fuendetodos in the province of Aragon.

Artwork #5 The Maja - Clothed 1797

Francisco de Goya Created many types of etchings - experimented with lithography. Lithography is a printmaking technique using a stone or metal plate. The picture is drawn with a greasy substance which absorbs the ink for printing.

Francisco de Goya Goya fell seriously ill; recovered but was totally deaf for the rest of his life. Did not paint war as a glamorized activity. His most famous painting - based on his series of etching prints from the war (“The Disasters of War”)

Artwork #6 The Third of May 1808

Three Spanish Masters El Greco, Velázquez and Goya