Kitsch e-cards from Toledo: A Dream comes True
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Early morning 1 hour far from Toledo ...
Early morning 1 hour far from Toledo ...
For a very long time I have wanted to visit Toledo, El Greco's second fatherland. I was curious about the spelling and stimulating atmosphere of the city that inspired one of my favourite artists.
Recently I got the opportunity to accomplish my old dream. The temperature was really hot, much higher than in Alentejo, but this journey became a very pleasant experience.
Some texts about El Greco:
In 1577 El Greco left for Spain, like many Italian artists who went there in order to work on the decoration of the Escorial palace. The King of Spain, Philip II, did not appreciate Theotokopoulos art, which was considered somewhat bizarre. El Greco settled permanently in Toledo, the former imperial capital of Spain, which continued to be the religious seat of the country. There the proud Cretan received important commissions and painted many remarkable works such as the Espolio (The Disrobing of Christ), and The Burial of Count Orgaz.
Far from the influence of the Italians and the intrigues of the court, El Greco discovered his inner self and created an art of sublime spirituality, where Byzantium, the Renaissance and Mannerism were fused into an original and unique style.
S'il garde toute sa force de choc, c'est qu'il a posé trois siècles à l'avance des problèmes qui sont les nôtres, et ils les a résolus d'une façon qui n'appartient qu'à lui. Cette union de l'émotion religieuse à la hardiesse des spéculations abstraites, cette union de la splendeur et du depouillement, aucun maître de notre temps n'en a retrouvé le secret. Et parmi les maîtres du passé, aucune aventure spirituelle ne nous attire, ne nous irrite comme celle du peintre qui voulut dépasser la peinture, "conquistador" à la recherche de mondes inconnus.
Paul Guinard, Greco, (Genève, Paris, New york, Editions d'Art Albert Skira, 1956), p.118
Click here to read another overview article about El Greco, by Harold E. Wethey. And the excellent Eric Storm , "Julius Meier-Graefe, El Greco and the rise of modern art" .
Recently I got the opportunity to accomplish my old dream. The temperature was really hot, much higher than in Alentejo, but this journey became a very pleasant experience.
Some texts about El Greco:
In 1577 El Greco left for Spain, like many Italian artists who went there in order to work on the decoration of the Escorial palace. The King of Spain, Philip II, did not appreciate Theotokopoulos art, which was considered somewhat bizarre. El Greco settled permanently in Toledo, the former imperial capital of Spain, which continued to be the religious seat of the country. There the proud Cretan received important commissions and painted many remarkable works such as the Espolio (The Disrobing of Christ), and The Burial of Count Orgaz.
Far from the influence of the Italians and the intrigues of the court, El Greco discovered his inner self and created an art of sublime spirituality, where Byzantium, the Renaissance and Mannerism were fused into an original and unique style.
S'il garde toute sa force de choc, c'est qu'il a posé trois siècles à l'avance des problèmes qui sont les nôtres, et ils les a résolus d'une façon qui n'appartient qu'à lui. Cette union de l'émotion religieuse à la hardiesse des spéculations abstraites, cette union de la splendeur et du depouillement, aucun maître de notre temps n'en a retrouvé le secret. Et parmi les maîtres du passé, aucune aventure spirituelle ne nous attire, ne nous irrite comme celle du peintre qui voulut dépasser la peinture, "conquistador" à la recherche de mondes inconnus.
Paul Guinard, Greco, (Genève, Paris, New york, Editions d'Art Albert Skira, 1956), p.118
Click here to read another overview article about El Greco, by Harold E. Wethey. And the excellent Eric Storm , "Julius Meier-Graefe, El Greco and the rise of modern art" .
Because of the heat I felt lazy to capture different wiews, contexts, and angles ... all the pictures look very similar ...
... seated at front of the cathedral photographing people walking around ...
Comentários
Toledo is one of the jewels in the crown of European culture. I also visited it during the summer and it was hot, but what a wonderful small town it is! The Cathedral is overwhelming! But I prefer the small churches, almost chapels, where the intimacy of the space gives El Greco's paintings another totally different feel.