Customer Reviews

El Greco (National Gallery Co Ltd)

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This book is a marvel. The full color pictures of the View of
Toledo, The Crucifixion, The Martyr of Saint Maurice and the
Baptism of Christ are worth the price paid. The text describes
how the Latin West, Eastern Orthodox-Greek and Islam coexisted
in the 16th century. This book would be perfect for historians,
artists, cultural enthusiasts and a wide constituency of
scholars in almost every area of formal academe.

It is about time that a book come out on the brillian artist that is Domenikos Theonopolis! Ever since I visited Spain in 1994 I have been an avid fan of El Greco but sadly have been unable to find any books on him until now. This is a wonderful book celebrating the prolific works of this genius. It is a beautiful collection full of amazingly colored images and information about El Greco. Whether an avid fan or just wanting to learn more about this artist, this book is an excellent resource.

The other reviews cover the text, so I will answer the one question you can never know when buying an art book online- are the reproductions good? Yes, they are terrific.

Presumably, I was unable to be in NYC for this exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, co-sponsor with the National Gallery of London. It must have been breathtaking. Just a few months ago, I was able to see a much smaller exhibition at the Onassis Center, in the same city, far fewer pictures of much lesser size, with only a few oils. It packed an aesthetic and emotional impact that dwarfed most of the Salon and monumental pictures that are commonplace today.
The reproductions leave no doubt that this was a Painter for the Ages, Master not only of the Expressionist style, which was of such crucial influence on modern art, but also of Naturalism (or Realism), a fact amply demonstrated in this catalogue. Many students of art will, no doubt, be surprised by this fact so well illustrated here. I am tempted to elucidate at length but words are of little worth compared to simply leafing through the pages of the book.
Detailed discussions by first rate art historians are quite helpful in placing El Greco in time and place; detailed discussions of many paintings is even more useful, since it focuses our attention on the wonders of his art.
It is regrettable that even the Bargain price is so high for a new copy of the book (though not relative to what substantial monographs run to these days); however, a used copy will serve one well. I have not seen the paper-bound edition from the same publisher, but, from the Amazon listing, that may be available at a truly bargain rate.
This book is an essential addition to any sound art history library and a most gratifying experience for anyone who has a taste for fine art.

"As certain as the payment I receive is inferior respect the value of my sublime work, is also that my name will take across to posterity as the one of the greatest genius of the painting."

El Greco is one of the most controversial, admired and weird figures in the story of the plastic arts. From Crete, he takes across to the Renaissance Italy; he will meet Ticiano; and eventually with Tintoretto, being in contact with Miguel Angel.
This brief but fruitful influence will constitute for him the basic training to get start his primary genius.

His particular style, consisting in the use of stylized figures to remark the spiritual tension, the use of cold colors (blue, green, metallic gray and a very clear yellow) the use of the human masses, volumes and colors to underline dramatic aspects.

To my mind, El Greco' s portentous dimension must be seen over and over again, to understand even more similar approaches in the Gothic art and with minor exuberance in the Byzantine art. The employment of lengthened figures was even more important than the same reality, because it was equivalent to a plastic language, able to express spiritual values with genuine grandness.

The text is relevant because it explores with minuteness fundamental, determining and clever aspects of this genius.

Go for it without dilation.