The person depicted here is actually unknown. The possible candidates range from the Marquis de Montemayor, significant figure in Toledo, to Miguel de Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote to a portrait of the artist, El Greco, himself. While trying to figure out whose portrait this really is can be a fun investigation, it is more important to look at what El Greco does in this mysterious portrait that has caused the artist to be called a precursor to modern art.
Though El Greco’s work was done in the 16th century, a century known for the Mannerist style, which involved sometimes odd color combinations and elongated figures, in modern times his work has been the inspiration for Expressionism. When we look at some of his work, we see a painter who seemed to see the world in phantoms, with almost ghoulish color combinations and tortured physiques.
Laocoön is a great example of the statement made above. The flesh tones of the figures are in shades of gray with a bare highlight of pinkish white. The way that the figures seem pulled down the sides of the paintings looks more like something from the 20th century. In Thomas Hart Benton’s The Boy (below) one sees the same wavy lines and long outstretched arms, which cause the figures to seem in movement. In El Greco’s painting the elongated shapes of their naked bodies seem tortured as they struggle with the snake. The way the muscles are represented creates a wavy quality to the figures which helps to create that sense of movement.
The story of Laocoön and his sons and their fight with this great serpent is best known from a Hellenistic sculpture in which the figures show every part of their bodies straining in their fight with the snake. Of course, with El Greco, one also gets treated to one of his many versions of the landscape around the city of Toledo, where he spent the rest of his life after 1577.
So we can see that El Greco had ideas about painting that seemed far ahead of the 1500s. I would say that is true of almost all of the Mannerist paintings of that time (see OfArtandWine.com “La Bella Maniera”). Mannerist painting put aside the dictates of nature to focus on the psychological and emotional aspects of the subject matter. El Greco was a very religious and emotional man. He is quoted as saying, “I paint because the spirits whisper madly inside my head.” His advice to artists was even more pointed, “You must study the Masters but guard the original style that beats within your soul and put to sword those who would try to steal it.” (quotes from elgreco.org)
Let’s return to the Gentleman with his Hand on his Chest. The mystique of this painting, which is so emblematic of Spanish culture that it was honored in a Spanish postage stamp, is a quiet portrait of dignify. The grayish background and the black of the clothing leave us nothing to look at but the face and above all the magnificent hand, both of which are surrounded by the bright white of the ruffled collar and the frilly lace sleeve.
The gold of the sword hilt is echoed somewhat in the color of the subject’s face, which acts as a color coordination between the top and the bottom of the painting. However, the focal point, and the one that is printed on T-shirts and tote bags (I have a tote from the Prado Museum with that hand printed on it) is that fabulous hand.
Any artist will tell you that hands can be very hard to paint. It is not just a matter of propotions, coloring, and shadows. It is a matter of expression, for as we all know many of us “talk with our hands,” as the saying goes. So the hand in this portrait must tell a story that matches the face. The person in the painting is rather sad-eyed and unsmiling. He seems to be in his 30s and obviously from the look of his crisp lace trimmings and the golden sword hilt, he is from the upper echelons of Spanish society. In fact, an alternative name for the painting is Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest. One of the reasons that it is speculated that this is a painting of Cervantes is the absence of any depiction of the left hand and forearm. Cervantes lost his in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571 when the Venetians and the Pope beat back an attack by the Ottoman navy.
Sadness in the eyes and that straight face bring a serious, quiet aspect to the painting, one that is thoughtful. The way the hand lies so gently on his chest at the level of his heart would seem to symbolize a person of deep feeling, perhaps deep faith. Long. thin fingers suggest more the hand of a writer or poet than one of a soldier, whose fingers would be more muscled. The pale color of it (lighter than the subject’s face) brings the hand even more to our attention. The back of the hand is smooth and retains some of the plumpness of youth, while the knuckles wrinkle appropriately and the ends of the fingers tapper to the small well-manicured finger nails.
Though this man carries a sword, his hand seems much more likely to have wielded a pen. For these reasons, there are art historians who believe this is a portrait of Cervantes. However, it could be anyone of noble birth, perhaps that Marquis of Montemayor. The main thing is that this hand surrounded by that delicate lace trim is the essence of quiet elegance. The way the artist has highlighted it as white against black draws our attention to it as the key to the character of the sitter for this painting.
El Greco’s sparing use of color here creates the mystery in this painting. The artist had a tenuous relationship with color, saying, “It is only after years of struggle and deprivation that the young artist should touch color – and then only in the company of his betters.” This is a telling statement from someone who lived and studied in Venice, the home of beautiful color in painting, as seen in Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese. The artist obviously approached color with a bit of fear and trepidation.
El Greco (1541-1614), the Greek, as he was called in Spain, bore that name because of the difficulty in pronuncing his real name for the non-Greek speaking Spanish. Domenikos Theokopoulus was born in Crete which was then a possession of the Venetian Republic. He learned painting in Venice, the home of Titian, moved on to Rome, and finally to Spain. Though he dreamed of being a court painter in Madrid, that did not work out (perhaps his painting style was too idiosyncratic). He moved on to Toledo where he gained comissions for both religious works and portraits.
He may have worn his artistic pride a bit too much on his sleeve as this quote would indicate. “I suffer for my art and despise the witless moneyed scoundrels who praise it.” Regardless, his influence was keenly felt in modern times, as can be seen by the Picasso take off on the famous El Greco portrait of the Gentleman.
While the Picasso portrait has two hands (one for the paint brush and one for the palette), the overall color combinations and position of the figure are very much as he says, “after El Greco.” It is not just Spanish painters like Picasso and Sorolla who took note of El Greco, but a list of other modern painters. To see that influence clearly, go to the link on “El Greco and Modern Painting,” a presentation by the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain. museodelprado.es
The main lesson one can take from El Greco’s career and body of art work is to be true to one’s self. Listen to one’s own inner guidance and let intuition guide your creativity. Take inspiration where you find it, and remember what the master said, “Art is everywhere you look for it, hail the twinkling stars, for they are God’s careless splatters.”
Sources for this post are the following:
“El Greco Paintings” theartstory.org
“El Greco and Modern Painting” museodelprado.es
“El Greco Quotes” el-greco.org
Images used in this post are either in Public Domain or used in accordance with Fair Use Policy for purposes of review, critique, and discussion. The Dreamstime.com photo is a free download.
Marjorie Vernelle is an artist, writer, college professor, and traveler. For more see the Pages at ofartandwine.com or her author page at amazon.com and her art at Vernelle Art Boutique vernellestudio.com and etsy.com/shop/VernelleArt Studio
Castilla and La Mancha Wine Region.
One may think of La Mancha as a dry region filled with windmills and eccentric noblemen who go about tilting at them. Well, perhaps Don Quixote did that, but if you go to La Mancha or the whole of the Castilla-La Mancha area, what you are likely to find are vineyards and affordable wine. About two thirds of the wine produced in this area are reds. However, good vino blanco (white wine) can also be found. The area produces a lot of bulk wine; however, you can find those $100/bottle red wines labeled vino de pago, a new appellation, for wines from single-vineyard areas.
Interestingly, the wines produced in this area, which had been known for being inexpensive jug wines, began to improved when the California touch was added. This occured in the 1990s when vines were brought in from the Golden State, along with different winemaking techniques. The red wines of the area are known for a bit of a “grilled toast” taste and are made from Syrah, Cabernet, Bobal, and Garnacha grapes. The white wines are normally aged in oak which gives them a creamy, nutty taste with a touch of peach or apricot. The Airen grape is the favorite white grape used in the region though Chardonnay grapes are also cultivated.
The topography of the land offers a lot of diversity in terms of growing regions, from dry plains with old bush vines to rocky highlands with high altitude varieties. The weather is very hot and dry in the summer and quite cold in the winter. Irrigation is minimal; however, diseases that plague other areas also find this area to be inhospitable, an advantage for the vintners. Castilla-La Mancha is focused on creating great varietal wines which is quite an improvement in terms of what is available for purchase. However, some of its bulk wine is actually the base for fortified wines like sherry and port.
When it comes to foods, this area goes for the basics. The dish above is a type of Spanish ratatouille with onions, green and red peppers, tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini. Other items would include hearty foods pork, lamb, and beef meat dishes, but there is paella as well. The area is also known for manchego cheese, which comes from the milk from a local breed of sheep called Manchega. For a thorough run down on Spanish foods from starters to desserts, including good mixed wine drinks (think excellent sangria) go to spain-recipes.com
Though the land of the Meseta Central seems rather inhospitable, the Spanish have taken what the Moors from North Africa called “parched earth” manchxa and turned it to useful purposes to find a place for themselves in the world of wine.
To take a short virtual trip to the area try this video: Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete. youtube.co
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©marjorie vernelle 2022
Coming Soon: Santa Fe, New Mexico: Oh the Art, Ah the Wine.
Well, as promised, a trip to Santa Fe is scheduled for this month. Of Art and Wine will report on the art and the wine in the area and any exciting events that are coming up. I return after the 25th so look for my post after that date
Hasta luego!
Wilderness Pony by Mary Bowers.