Greco male portrait. Portrait of a gentleman with his hand on his chest. At the beginning of the 20th century. archaeologists have discovered a wonderful portrait of Queen Nefertiti to the whole world

El Greco - "Portrait of a gentleman with his hand on his chest"

Svetlana Obukhova

There is almost no evidence left about the life of the Cretan Domenico Theotokopouli, the artist who conquered Spanish Toledo under the name El Greco, that is, the Greek. The “follies” of his character and strange pictorial manner amazed many and forced them to take up the pen - but only a few letters have survived. One of them contains the following lines: “... the weather was beautiful, the spring sun was shining gently. It gave joy to everyone, and the city looked festive. Imagine my surprise when I entered El Greco's studio and saw that the shutters on the windows were closed, and therefore it was difficult to see what was around. El Greco himself sat on a stool, doing nothing, but awake. He did not want to go out with me, because, according to him, the sunlight interfered with his inner light...”

There is almost no evidence left about Domenico the man, only echoes: that he lived in grand style, kept a rich library, read many philosophers and also sued clients (they loved him, but more often did not understand him), died almost in poverty - like the thin rays of daylight light breaks through the cracks in the “closed shutters” of his life. But they do not distract from the main thing - from the inner light that fills the paintings of the artist El Greco. Especially portraits.

There are no landscapes that open behind the person being portrayed, there is no abundance of details that attract a curious eye. Even the hero's name is often left out of the picture. Because all this would prevent you from seeing the face. And eyes, deep, dark, looking straight at you. It’s hard to tear yourself away from them, and if you force yourself, it’s to see the gesture and stop again in thought.

This is the “Portrait of a Cavalier with His Hand on His Chest” (1577-1579), painted by the master shortly after he moved to Toledo. This portrait is recognized as one of the best in Spanish painting of the 16th century. The stranger El Greco created “vivid images of Spanish life and history”, which capture “genuine living beings, combining in themselves everything that is to be admired in our people, everything heroic and indomitable, with those opposite qualities that cannot but be reflected, without destroying its very essence” (A. Segovia). Aristocrats from the ancient families of Toledo became the true heroes of El Greco, he saw their inner light - their nobility and dignity, fidelity to duty, intelligence, refinement of manners, courage, external restraint and internal impulse, the strength of the heart, which knows what it lives and dies for. ..

Day after day, visitors to the Prado Gallery stop in front of the unknown hidalgo, surprised, with the words: “Like alive...” Who is he, this knight? Why does he open his heart with such sincerity? Why are his eyes so attractive? And this gesture of oath? And the hilt of the sword?.. Perhaps from these questions a legend was born that the person depicted in the portrait is another great Spaniard: Miguel de Cervantes. A warrior and writer who told the world the story of a knight of sad image, who was given the same divine gift as El Greco - to see people as they should be, to see their inner light...

And other paintings from the Prado Museum in the Hermitage...

El Greco "Christ Embracing the Cross" 1600 - 1605

Depicted against the backdrop of a stormy sky typical of El Greco, Christ embraces the cross with his graceful hands, looking upward with calm doom. The painting was a great success, and many versions of it were created in El Greco's workshop.

El Greco "Holy Family with St. Anne and little John the Baptist" c. 1600 - 1605

The late period of El Greco's work is characterized by the use of piercing colors and flashes; the space is completely filled with figures that obscure the horizon. Forms painted with a vibrating brushstroke lose their materiality. Little John the Baptist calls the viewer to silence so as not to disturb the peace of the infant Christ...

Velasquez - Portrait of Philip IV Portrait of King Philip IV. 1653-1657

The foundations of the psychological portrait in European art were laid by the Spanish painter Diego Rodriguez de Silva Velazquez. He was born into a poor noble family in Seville and studied with Herrera the Elder and Pacheco. In 1622 he first came to Madrid. In a practical sense, this trip was not very successful - Velazquez did not find a worthy place for himself. He hoped to meet the young King Philip IV, but the meeting did not take place. Nevertheless, rumors about the young artist reached the court, and already in the next year, 1623, the first minister, Duke de Olivares (also a native of Seville), invited Velazquez to Madrid to paint a portrait of the king. This work, which has not reached us, made such a pleasant impression on the monarch that he immediately offered Velazquez the position of court artist. Soon quite friendly relations developed between the king and Velazquez, which was not very typical for the order that reigned at the Spanish court. The king, who ruled the world's greatest empire, was considered not a man, but a deity, and the artist could not even count on noble privileges, since he earned his living by labor. Meanwhile, Philip ordered that henceforth only Velazquez paint his portraits. The great monarch was surprisingly generous and supportive of Velazquez. The artist's studio was located in the royal apartments, and a chair was installed there for His Majesty. The king, who had the key to the workshop, came here almost every day to observe the artist’s work. While in royal service from 1623 to 1660, Velazquez painted about a dozen portraits of his overlord. Of these, a little more than 10 paintings have reached us. Thus, on average, Velazquez painted his overlord approximately once every three years. Painting portraits of the king was Velazquez's job, and he did the job perfectly. Thanks to this, we have a complex of works that is unique in its own way: Velazquez’s portraits trace the life path of King Philip so clearly, as later became a custom only in the age of photography. Evolution is clearly visible in the artist’s paintings. Firstly, the king himself changes, 18 years old in the first portrait and 50 years old in the last; his face bears the imprint of age and spiritual changes. Secondly, the artist’s perception of his model deepens, turning from superficial to insightful. Over time, the way the model is presented and artistic techniques change. Velazquez's manner is transformed under the influence of his own creative growth, as well as under the influence of modern domestic and foreign traditions. This under-chest portrait depicts Philip IV against a dark background, wearing black clothing with a white collar that clearly highlights the monarch's face. Velázquez avoids ostentation in the portrait of the king and shows the "human face" of the monarch without any flattery or courtly cunning. We clearly feel that the person looking at us from the canvas is unhappy; the last years of his reign were not easy for the king. This is a man who has known disappointment, but at the same time, a man whose flesh is filled with innate greatness, which nothing can shake. Another great artist, a Spaniard to the core, Pablo Ruiz Picasso, says this about the image of the Spanish king: “we cannot imagine another Philip IV other than the one created by Velazquez...”

"Portrait of King Philip IV" (c. 1653 - 1657)

One of the last portraits of the monarch. It is interesting to note that there is not a single element here that speaks of the royal status of the person being portrayed. Velazquez served Philip IV for almost forty years - from 1623 until his death, painting portraits of the king and his family, large subject canvases for the Royal Collection.

Diego Velazquez "Portrait of the Jester Don Diego de Acedo" (El Primo) c. 1644

Diego Velazquez "Portrait of Queen Marianna of Austria" 1652-1653

Titian (Tiziano Vecellio) "Venus with Cupid and the Organist" 1555

The musician plays, sitting at the feet of Venus and admiring the naked body of the goddess, distractedly playing with Cupid. Some saw this painting as a purely erotic work, while others perceived it symbolically - as an allegory of feelings, where vision and hearing act as tools for the knowledge of beauty and harmony. Titian wrote five versions of this theme.

Paolo Veronese (Paolo Cagliari) - "Penitent Mary Magdalene" 1583

After her conversion, Mary Magdalene devoted her life to repentance and prayer, withdrawing from the world. In this painting she is depicted looking into the heavens and bathed in divine light. The painting is painted in thick dark colors, characteristic of Veronese's style in the late period of his work. Before entering the Spanish Royal Collections, the work belonged to the English King Charles I (executed in 1649)

Anthony Van Dyck "Portrait of a Man with a Lute" 1622-1632

Anthony Van Dyck owes his fame precisely to the genre of portraiture, which occupied a rather low position in the hierarchy of European painting. However, by this time a tradition of portrait art had already developed in Flanders. Van Dyck painted hundreds of portraits, several self-portraits, and became one of the creators of the style of ceremonial portraiture in the 17th century. In portraits of his contemporaries, he showed their intellectual, emotional world, spiritual life, and living human character.
The traditional model for this portrait is Jacob Gautier, a lutenist at the English court from 1617 to 1647, but the presence of the sword, and, to a greater extent, the stylistic characteristics of the work indicate that it must date much earlier than Van Dyck's trip to London, which casts doubt on this theory. The presence of a musical instrument does not necessarily mean that the model was a musician. As a symbol, musical instruments were often depicted in portraits as an indication of the intellectual sophistication and sensitivity of the subject.

Juan Bautista Maino "Adoration of the Shepherds" 1612-1614

One of Maino's masterpieces. The collection of the State Hermitage contains another version of this story, written by Maino. The artist was born in Pastrana (Guadalajara) and lived in Rome from 1604 to 1610. This work, written upon his return to Spain, shows the influence of Caravaggio and Orazio Gentileschi. In 1613, Maino became a member of the Dominican Order, and the painting was included in the altar cycle of the Monastery of St. Peter the Martyr in Toledo.

Georges de Latour "The Blind Musician with a Hurdy-Hurdy" approx. 1625- 1630

Latour depicts an old blind musician playing a hurdy-gurdy. He repeated this plot several times. The artist, who worked under the influence of Caravaggio's style, enthusiastically reproduces details - the pattern decorating a musical instrument, the wrinkles on the face of a blind man, his hair.

Peter Paul Rubens, Jacob Jordaens "Perseus Freeing Andromeda" Approx. 1639-1640

Francisco de Goya "Portrait of Ferdinand VII" 1814-1815

After Napoleon's defeat in 1814, Ferdinand VII returned to the Spanish throne. The portrait shows him in a royal robe lined with ermine, with a scepter and the orders of Carlos III and the Golden Fleece.
Ferdinand VII, who ruled the country until 1833, founded the Prado Museum in 1819.

Francisco de Goya "Maria von Santa Cruz" 1805

Maria von Santa Cruz, wife of the first director of the Prado, was one of the most revered women in Spain of her time.
In the 1805 portrait, Goya depicted the Marquise as the muse of lyric poetry, Euterpe, reclining on a sofa and holding a lyre in her left hand. The choice of this particular image is due to the marquise’s passion for poetry.

Francisco Goya - "Autumn (Grape Harvest)" 1786 - 1787

Francisco GOYA - "Grape Harvesting" fragment

In 1775 - 1792, Goya created seven series of cardboard tapestries for the Escorial and Prado palaces on the outskirts of Madrid. This painting in particular belongs to the series of seasons and was intended for the dining room of the Prince of Asturias in the Prado. Goya depicted the classic plot as an everyday scene, which reflects the nature of the relationship between different classes - the painting depicts the owners of a vineyard with their son and maid.

Francisco Goya "Portrait of General José de Urrutia" (c. 1798)

José de Urrutia (1739 - 1809) - one of the most prominent Spanish military leaders and the only army officer of non-aristocratic origin in the 18th century who reached the rank of captain general - is depicted with the Order of St. George, which was awarded to him by the Russian Empress Catherine the Great for his participation in the capture of Ochakov in during the Crimean campaign of 1789.

Peter Paul Rubens "Portrait of Marie de' Medici." OK. 1622-1625.

Maria Medici (1573 - 1642) was the daughter of the Grand Duke of Tuscany Francesco I. In 1600 she became the wife of the French king Henry IV. From 1610 she was regent for her young son, the future King Louis XIII. She commissioned a series of works from Rubens glorifying herself and her late husband. The portrait shows the Queen wearing a widow's headdress and an unfinished background.

Domenico Tintoretto "Woman Baring Her Breasts" Approx. 1580-1590

Vicente Lopez Portanha "Portrait of Felix Maximo Lopez, first organist of the Royal Chapel" 1820

Spanish neoclassical painter, who retained traces of the Rococo style. Lopez was considered one of the best portrait painters of his time, second only to Francisco de Goya. He began studying painting in Valencia at the age of 13, and within four years he had won several first prizes at the Academy of San Carlos, earning him a scholarship to study at the capital's prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando. After completing his studies, Lopez worked for several years in the workshop of Mariano Salvador Maella, his teacher. By 1814, after the French occupation, Lopez was already a well-known artist, so the Spanish King Ferdinand VII summoned him to Madrid and appointed him as official court artist, despite the fact that the “first royal artist” at that time was Francisco Goya himself. Vicente Lopez was a prolific artist, he painted paintings on religious, allegorical, historical and mythological subjects, but, above all, he was, of course, a portrait painter. During his long career, he painted portraits of almost every famous person in Spain in the first half of the 19th century.
This portrait of the first organist of the royal chapel and the famous musician and composer was painted shortly before the artist's death, and was completed by his eldest son Ambrosio Lopez.

Anton Raphael Mengs "Portrait of Maria Luisa of Parma, Princess of Asturias" 1766

Juan Sanchez Cotan "Still life with game, vegetables and fruits" 1602

Don Diego de Acedo had been at court since 1635. In addition to the “buffoon service,” he served as a royal messenger and was in charge of the king’s seal. Apparently, the books, papers and writing instruments depicted in the picture speak of these activities. It is believed that the portrait was painted in Fraga, province of Huesca, during Philip IV's tour of Aragon, on which he was accompanied by Diego de Acedo. In the background rises the Malicios peak of the Guadarrama mountain range.

Hieronymus Bosch "Extraction of the Stone of Folly" c. 1490

The satirical scene with figures against a landscape background depicts an operation to remove the “stone of stupidity.” The inscription in Gothic font reads: “Master, quickly remove the stone. My name is Lubbert Das.” Lubbert is a common noun denoting ignorance and simplicity. A surgeon wearing a headdress in the form of an inverted funnel, symbolizing ignorance, “removes” a stone (water lily) from the head of a gullible patient and demands a generous payment from him. At that time, the simple-minded believed that a stone in the head was to blame for their stupidity. This is what charlatans took advantage of.

Raphael (Raffaello Santi) "The Holy Family with a Lamb" 1507

Mary helps the little Christ sit on the lamb - a Christian symbol of the coming Passion of Christ, and St. Joseph is watching them. The painting was painted in Florence, where the artist studied the work of Leonardo da Vinci, influenced by his compositions with the Holy Family. In the Prado Museum this is the only work by Raphael painted in the early period.

Albrecht Durer "Portrait of an Unknown Man" Approx. 1521

The portrait belongs to the late period of Dürer's work. Painted in a manner similar to the style of Dutch artists. A hat with a wide brim draws attention to the face of the person being portrayed; the light falling from the left concentrates the viewer's attention on it. The second focus of attention in the portrait are the hands, and primarily the left one, in which the unknown person holds a scroll - apparently explaining his social status.

Rogier van der Weyden "Lamentation" Approx. 1450

The model was the altar triptych for the Miraflores monastery (kept in the Berlin art gallery), created by Van der Weyden earlier than 1444 and repeated with some differences. In this version, with the upper part added at an unknown period, Mary, Christ, St. John and the donor (customer of the painting) - a member of the Broers family - are depicted in the same space. The artist expressively conveys the grief of the Mother of God, clutching the body of her dead son to her chest. The tragic group on the left is contrasted with the figure of the donor, separated by a stone. He is in a state of prayerful concentration. At that time, customers often asked to depict themselves in paintings. But their images were always secondary - somewhere in the background, in the crowd, etc. Here the donor is depicted in the foreground, but is separated from the main group by stone and color.

Alonso Cano "Dead Christ supported by an angel" c. 1646 - 1652

Against the backdrop of a twilight landscape, an angel supports the lifeless body of Christ. The unusual iconography of this painting is explained by the fact that it is associated not with evangelical texts, but with the so-called Christ of St. Gregory. According to legend, Pope Gregory the Great saw a vision of the dead Christ supported by two angels. Kano interpreted this plot differently - only one angel supports the motionless body of Christ.

Bartolome Esteban Murillo "Our Lady of the Rosary" Approx. 1650 -1655

The work of Bartolome Esteban Murillo ends the golden age of Spanish painting. Murillo's works are impeccably precise in composition, rich and harmonious in color, and beautiful in the highest sense of the word. His feelings are always sincere and delicate, but in Murillo’s paintings there is no longer that spiritual power and depth that is so shocking in the works of his older contemporaries. The artist's life is connected with his native Seville, although he had to visit Madrid and other cities. Having studied under the local painter Juan del Castillo (1584-1640), Murillo worked extensively on orders from monasteries and temples. In 1660 he became president of the Academy of Fine Arts in Seville.
With his paintings of religious subjects, Murillo sought to bring comfort and reassurance. It is no coincidence that he very often painted the image of the Mother of God. The image of Mary passed from painting to painting in the form of a lovely young girl with regular facial features and a calm gaze. Her innocent appearance was supposed to evoke a feeling of sweet tenderness in the viewer. In this painting, Bartolome Murillo depicted the Madonna and Jesus with the rosary, the traditional Catholic rosary, the prayer of which was given great importance in the artist’s time. In this work, the features of naturalism that prevailed in the works of representatives of the Seville school in the first half of the 17th century are still noticeable, but Murillo’s painting style is already freer than in his early work. This free manner is especially evident in the depiction of the Virgin Mary's veil. The artist uses bright light to highlight the figures against a dark background and create a contrast between the delicate tones of the face of the Virgin Mary and the body of the child Christ and the deep shadows in the folds of the fabrics.
In 17th-century Andalusia, the image of the Virgin and Child was in particular demand. Murillo, whose creative life was spent in Seville, painted many such paintings, imbued with tenderness. In this case, the Mother of God is depicted with a rosary. And here, as in the early years of his work, the artist remains true to his passion for light and shadow contrasts.

Bartolome Esteban Murillo "The Good Shepherd" 1655-1660

The picture is imbued with deep lyricism and kindness. The title is taken from the Gospel of John: “I am the good shepherd.” This suggests that the painting depicts Christ, albeit at a very early age. Everything in Murillo’s film is beautiful and simple. The artist loved to paint children, and he put all this love into the beauty of the image of this boy-God. In the 1660-1670s, during the heyday of his painting skills, Murillo sought to poeticize his characters, and he was often accused of some sentimentality in his images and their deliberate beauty. However, these reproaches are not entirely fair. The child depicted in the painting can still be seen today both in Seville and in the surrounding villages. And it was precisely in this that the democratic orientation of the artist’s work was manifested - in equating the beauty of the Madonna with the beauty of ordinary Spanish women, and the beauty of her son, little Christ, with the beauty of street urchins.

Alonso Sanchez Coelho “Portrait of the Infantes Isabella Clara Eugenia and Catalina Micaela” 1575

The portrait shows the princess, aged eight and nine, holding a wreath of flowers. Sánchez Coelho painted portraits of infantas - the beloved daughters of King Philip II and his third wife Isabella Valois - from a very early age. All portraits are made in compliance with the canons of a court portrait - girls in magnificent clothes and with impassive facial expressions.

Anton Rafael Mengs. Portrait of King Carlos III. 1767

Charles III was called perhaps the only truly enlightened monarch in the history of Spain. It was he who founded the Prado Museum in 1785, first as a museum of natural history. Charles III dreamed that the Prado Museum, together with the nearby botanical gardens, would become a center of scientific education.
Having ascended the throne, he began to carry out serious political and economic reforms, which the country so badly needed at that time. However, his efforts were in vain - his son Charles IV did not share his father’s progressive views, and after the death of Charles III, the reforms were over.
This portrait is absolutely typical of its time. With every detail, the artist draws attention to the position occupied by the model: a mantle trimmed with ermine, a Maltese cross encrusted with jewels, shiny armor - indispensable attributes of royal grandeur. Lush drapery and pilaster (an element of classical architecture) are a traditional backdrop for such portraits.
But already in this portrait it is surprising how the model’s face is presented. Mengs makes no attempt to slim down the king's bulbous nose or smooth out the creases in his wrinkled cheeks. Thanks to maximum individuality, this painting creates a sense of life that Mengs' predecessors could not achieve. The portrait makes you feel sympathy for Carlos III, who is ready to “show” his imperfect appearance.

Antoine Watteau "Feast in the Park" ca. 1713 - 1716

This charming scene is a typical example of Watteau's "gallant holidays". A light fog blurring the outlines, a statue of Neptune almost hidden in the foliage above the fountain and a faded golden color - all this conveys an atmosphere of acute but fleeting pleasure.
The painting belonged to Isabella Farnese, the second wife of King Philip V.

Antonio Carnicero "Rising the Hot Air Balloon in Aranjuez" c. 1784

The painting was commissioned by the Duke and Duchess of Haussouin and captures the spirit of the Age of Enlightenment, which aroused interest in the achievements of scientific progress. A real event is depicted: in 1784, in the Royal Gardens of Aranjuez, in the presence of the monarch, members of his family and courtiers, a hot air balloon flight was made. Antonio Carnicero was known for his beautiful genre scenes, and this painting is one of his most ambitious works.

Jose de Madrazo y Agudo "Heavenly Love and Earthly Love" 1813

Francisco de Zurbaran "Agnus Dei. Lamb of God" 1635-1640

A lamb lies on a gray table, standing out sharply against the dark background in the sharply focused bright light. Any person in the 17th century would have immediately recognized him as the “lamb of God” and would have understood that this was an allusion to the self-sacrifice of Christ. The lamb's wool is wonderfully crafted and seems so soft that it is difficult to take your eyes off the animal and you want to touch it.

Juan Pantoja de la Cruz "Portrait of Queen Isabella of Valois" c. 1604 – 1608

Pantoja de la Cruz painted this portrait, repeating the work of Sofonisba Angishola - the original burned in the palace in 1604. The artist only added a cape made of marmot fur to the queen’s outfit.
Sofonisba Angishola was an artist from Cremona who worked at the Spanish court. This was the first portrait of the young queen in a series by the artist. The painting was painted in a manner close to Spanish, but in warmer and lighter colors.

Jean Rann "Portrait of Carlos III as a Child" 1723

Luis Melendez "Still Life with a Box of Sweets, Pretzel and Other Items" 1770

The greatest master of Spanish still life of the 18th century, Luis Melendez was born in Italy, in the family of a miniaturist artist from Asturias. In 1717, the family moved to Madrid, where the young man entered the preparatory department of the Academy of San Fernando, and took first place among its most gifted students. However, in 1747 he was forced to leave the Academy, following his father, who was expelled from it as a result of the conflict. During this period, Melendez visits Italy again. Initially helping his father, he became a miniaturist, and after returning from Italy, he was invited by Ferdinand VI to illustrate books in the Royal Chapel of Madrid. In the genre of still life, which the artist turned to in the early 1760s, a new facet of his work emerged.
This still life was painted during the artist’s mature period. At this time, luxury items and silverware appeared in his compositions. But, nevertheless, the artist still adheres to his ideals and works in line with the genre tradition. The material tangibility of each of the objects painted on canvas makes us recall the best examples of still life in world art. The tangible transparent glass of the glass is reflected in the matte shiny surface of the silver vase. A soft pretzel on a white napkin that seems to smell like freshly baked bread. The neck of a sealed bottle gleams dully. A silver fork protrudes slightly beyond the edge of the illuminated table. In the composition of this still life there is no ascetic arrangement of objects in one row, characteristic, for example, of Zurbaran’s still lifes. Perhaps it has something in common with Dutch samples. But the tone is darker, there are fewer objects and the composition is simpler.

Juan de Arellano "Basket of Flowers" 1670

Spanish Baroque artist, specializing in the depiction of floral arrangements, born in Santorcas in 1614. At first he studied in the studio of a now unknown artist, but at the age of 16 he moved to Madrid, where he studied with Juan de Solis, an artist who carried out commissions for Queen Isabella. Juan de Arellano lived for a long time on small commissions, including wall paintings, until he decided to focus exclusively on painting flowers and became an unsurpassed master in this field. It is believed that the master began by copying the works of other, especially Italian, artists; Flemish still lifes added elegance and rigor to his style. Later, he added his own compositional ideas and a characteristic color palette to this combination.
The rather simple composition of this still life is characteristic of Arellano. Pure, intense plant colors stand out brightly against a neutral brownish background due to intense lighting.

There is almost no evidence left about the life of the Cretan Domenico Theotokopouli, the artist who conquered Spanish Toledo under the name El Greco, that is, the Greek. The “follies” of his character and strange pictorial manner amazed many and forced them to take up the pen - but only a few letters have survived. One of them contains the following lines: “... the weather was beautiful, the spring sun was shining gently. It gave joy to everyone, and the city looked festive. Imagine my surprise when I entered El Greco's studio and saw that the shutters on the windows were closed, and therefore it was difficult to see what was around. El Greco himself sat on a stool, doing nothing, but awake. He did not want to go out with me, because, according to him, the sunlight interfered with his inner light...”

There is almost no evidence left about Domenico the man, only echoes: that he lived in grand style, kept a rich library, read many philosophers and also sued clients (they loved him, but more often did not understand him), died almost in poverty - like the thin rays of daylight light breaks through the cracks in the “closed shutters” of his life. But they do not distract from the main thing - from the inner light that fills the paintings of the artist El Greco. Especially portraits.

There are no landscapes that open behind the person being portrayed, there is no abundance of details that attract a curious eye. Even the hero's name is often left out of the picture. Because all this would prevent you from seeing the face. And eyes, deep, dark, looking straight at you. It’s hard to tear yourself away from them, and if you force yourself to see the gesture, you’ll stop again in thought.

This is the “Portrait of a Cavalier with His Hand on His Chest” (1577-1579), painted by the master shortly after he moved to Toledo. This portrait is recognized as one of the best in Spanish painting of the 16th century. The stranger El Greco created “vivid images of Spanish life and history”, which capture “genuine living beings, combining in themselves everything that is to be admired in our people, everything heroic and indomitable, with those opposite qualities that cannot but be reflected, without destroying its very essence” (A. Segovia). Aristocrats from the ancient families of Toledo became the true heroes of El Greco, he saw their inner light - their nobility and dignity, fidelity to duty, intelligence, refinement of manners, courage, external restraint and internal impulse, the strength of the heart that knows what it lives and dies for. ..

Day after day, visitors to the Prado Gallery stop in front of the unknown hidalgo, surprised, with the words: “Like alive...” Who is he, this knight? Why does he open his heart with such sincerity? Why are his eyes so attractive? And this gesture of oath? And the hilt of the sword?.. Perhaps from these questions a legend was born that the person depicted in the portrait is another great Spaniard: Miguel de Cervantes. A warrior and writer who told the world the story of a knight of sad image, who was given the same divine gift as El Greco - to see people as they should be, to see their inner light...

to the magazine "Man Without Borders"

Perhaps one of the earliest portraits of El Greco created in Spain is the so-called “Portrait of a Cavalier with His Hand on His Chest” (c. 1577-1579). This is evidenced, first of all, by a more traditional, dark painting style built on shades of brownish tones with a dense, smooth brushstroke. A psychological neutrality of interpretation is typical, which will later give way to a much more active characterization.

This famous portrait of El Greco represents, as it were, a canonical image of a nobleman of his time. Elegant, very calm, with his right hand on his chest in a gesture of oath or conviction, the unknown caballero embodies the characteristic of the Spanish aristocracy societygo, that is, the expression in appearance of equanimity, restraint, dignity.

The hilt of the Toledo sword is an eloquent detail of his strict appearance, a black suit decorated with a high collar and cuffs made of snow-white lace. Antonina Vallantin rightly notes that this type of Spaniard penetrated the stage and already lived on the pages of novels, but in order to be depicted, he had to wait for El Greco’s arrival in Toledo.

The portrait, however, is characterized by internal inconsistency, since the ideal aspect of the image does not quite correspond to the personality of the person being portrayed - the character depicted is not very meaningful. The impression is achieved by the pictorial structure of the canvas, where the face and hand with a symbolic arrangement of fingers emerge from the dark background as light spots; The precious beauty of thin shimmering lace and the hilt of a sword, as if hanging in the air, acquires special fragility. The detachment of the caballero’s gaze, endowed with the typical Elgrek’s odd-eyed look, enhances the expressiveness of the image.

El caballero de la mano en el pecho Canvas, oil. 81.8 × 65.8 cm Prado, Madrid, Spain K:Paintings from 1580

"Knight with a hand on his chest"- painting by the Spanish artist El Greco, painted in Toledo around 1580. Best known for his series of society portraits of unknown caballeros in black robes and white cutters against a dark background. Currently stored in the Prado.

The caballero pose can mean giving an oath, or showing trust when concluding a contract, or the noble origin of a character, or even a secret conditioned signal. A golden sword and medallion indicate wealth and belonging to high society. The character's appearance is typical of a nobleman from the Spanish Golden Age. During the restoration of the painting, it turned out that initially the background was not black, but light gray, but over time the painting darkened. The richness of shades on dark clothes indicates the influence of the Venetian school of painting on El Greco.

It was previously believed that “The Knight with His Hand on His Chest” is a portrait of Cervantes, but now most art historians are inclined to believe that the portrait depicts Juan de Silva y Ribera, third Marquis of Montemayor and alcalde of the Alcazar of Toledo. Art critic Alex Burghart and artist Robert Shrive allow the possibility that this is a self-portrait of the artist.

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Notes

Excerpt characterizing the Knight with his hand on his chest

“On the contrary, everything seems to be fine, ma cousine,” said Pierre with that habit of playfulness that Pierre, who always embarrassedly endured his role as a benefactor in front of the princess, acquired for himself in relation to her.
- Yes, it’s good... good well-being! Today Varvara Ivanovna told me how different our troops are. You can certainly attribute it to honor. And the people have completely rebelled, they stop listening; My girl started being rude too. Soon they will start beating us too. You can't walk on the streets. And most importantly, the French will be here tomorrow, what can we expect! “I ask one thing, mon cousin,” said the princess, “order me to be taken to St. Petersburg: whatever I am, I cannot live under Bonaparte’s rule.”
- Come on, ma cousine, where do you get your information from? Against…
- I will not submit to your Napoleon. Others want it... If you don't want to do it...
- Yes, I will do it, I’ll order it now.
The princess was apparently annoyed that there was no one to be angry with. She sat down on a chair, whispering something.
“But this is being conveyed to you incorrectly,” said Pierre. “Everything is quiet in the city, and there is no danger.” I was reading just now...” Pierre showed the princess the posters. – The Count writes that he answers with his life that the enemy will not be in Moscow.
“Oh, this count of yours,” the princess spoke angrily, “is a hypocrite, a villain who himself incited the people to rebel.” Wasn’t he the one who wrote in those stupid posters that whoever he was, drag him by the crest to the exit (and how stupid)! Whoever takes it, he says, will have honor and glory. So I was quite happy. Varvara Ivanovna said that her people almost killed her because she spoke French...
“Yes, it’s so... You take everything very much to heart,” said Pierre and began to play solitaire.
Despite the fact that the solitaire had worked out, Pierre did not go to the army, but remained in empty Moscow, still in the same anxiety, indecision, in fear and at the same time in joy, expecting something terrible.
The next day, the princess left in the evening, and his chief manager came to Pierre with the news that the money he required to outfit the regiment could not be obtained unless one estate was sold. The general manager generally represented to Pierre that all these undertakings of the regiment were supposed to ruin him. Pierre had difficulty hiding his smile as he listened to the manager’s words.
“Well, sell it,” he said. - What can I do, I can’t refuse now!