Portrait of a Man of the House of Leiva

Born in modern-day Crete, Doménikos Theotokópoulos, called El Greco (the Greek) worked in Venice and Rome before settling in Toledo, Spain, where he completed this portrait of a nobleman. Many artists of this period travelled widely, developing new techniques and approaches along the way. El Greco’s unique style combines the energetic brushwork of Venetian painting with the spiritual power of Byzantine icons, which are associated with austere backgrounds, elongated forms and a powerful sense of presence.