El Greco and his workshop / El Greco y su taller

The Museum of Cycladic Art, in collaboration with SEACEX (Sociedad Estatal Para la Acción Cultural Exterior), presents the exhibition El Greco and his workshop / El Greco y su taller. The exhibition is sponsored by Iberdrola Renewables

The concept: The exhibition focuses on El Greco’s workshop in Spain and its impact on 17th century Spanish painting. It includes paintings made by the master himself, his students Jorge Manuel Theotocopuli (1578-1631) and Luis Tristan (ca. 1585-1624) and other artists who were affiliated with or influenced by his workshop.

Two or more versions of each iconographic theme are presented: the original, made by El Greco himself, and copies, produced by his students. In addition, there are some paintings that are considered “collective works”. In that way, visitors are able to trace the distinct style of each student and detect the influences exercised by the master. Radiographs help visitors follow the various stages in the creation of a painted composition.

The exhibition addresses also the issue of authenticity. El Greco has been extensively forged in the 20th century. Modern technology allows for the detection of fakes, but as some collectors and museums refuse to test their Greco paintings, controversy over the authenticity of a considerable number of works is sustained. Visitors will have the chance to view one painting that has been proved to be a modern forgery.

The exhibits: Altogether, 58 paintings are presented in the exhibition. They come from major museums in Spain (El Greco Museum – Toledo, Museo de Santa Cruz – Toledo, Prado Museum – Madrid, Patrimonio Nacional: Palacio Real, Real Monasterio de S. Lorenzo de El Escorial, Lazaro Galdiano – Madrid, National Library – Madrid, Bilbao Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Fine Arts – Seville etc.), the United States (Metropolitan Museum of Art – New York, Hispanic Society of America – New York), Hungary (Szépmüvészeti Museum – Budapest) and Switzerland (Bührle Collection). Of these, 8-10 paintings are almost certainly attributed to El Greco himself.

The Curators: The exhibition had been curated by Carmen Garrido (Prado Museum), José Alvarez Lopera, (art historian, Prado Museum) and Nicos Hadjinicolaou (Professor Emeritus of the University of Crete).

Exhibition catalogue: A detailed bilingual (Greek-Spanish) catalogue, edited by Professor Nicos Hadjinicolaou, supplements the exhibition.

“El Greco and his workshop / El Greco y su taller”

Kurator: Carmen Garrido, Jose Alvarez Lopera, Nicos Hadjinicolaou