Greek-born Spanish Mannerist Painter, 1541-1614
Considered a representative of late Renaissance Spanish art, El Greco was actually born in Greece, on the island of Crete. After studying in Venice under Titian, El Greco settled in Toledo, Spain in 1577. At the time he was wildly popular, his emotionally religious paintings being just the ticket for the hometown of the Spanish Inquisition. After his death his work was largely ignored until the beginning of the 20th century; now he considered one of the inspired geniuses of Western art. His distinctive style features bold shapes and colors, with elongated and slightly distorted figures.
In Toledo El Greco was in constant demand and liked living large: he maintained a private orchestra to accompany his meals. Related Paintings of El Greco :. | laocoon | Christus treibt die Handler aus dem Tempel | christ on the mount of olives | Laocoon | The Burial of Count Orgaz | Related Artists:
Vasiliy PolenovVasily Dmitrievich Polenov (Russian: 1 June 1844 - 18 July 1927) was a Russian landscape painter associated with the Peredvizhniki movement of realist artists.
BiographyA native of St.Petersburg, Polenov studied under Pavel Chistyakov and in the Imperial Academy of Arts from 1863 to 1871. He was classmate and close friend to Rafail Levitsky, fellow Peredvizhniki artist and famous photographer. Their letters which remain today in Polenov's house museum are an interesting account of the many art exhibitions, movements and artists of their day.
Ernest CroftsEnglish Painter , b. 15 September 1847- d. 19 March 1911
was an English painter who specialized in battle scenes. Ernest Crofts, RA lived at 'The Green' which he helped to re-design, next to Blythburgh church in Suffolk.
William George Richardsonartist (b at Nottingham, Eng 12 June 1833; d at Sussex, NB 18 Nov 1889)