Dormition of the Virgin (El Greco)

Painting by El Greco

The Dormition of the Virgin

Greek: Η κοίμηση της Θεοτόκου, Spanish : El tránsito de la Virgen
Artist| El Greco
Year| 1565–1566
Type| Tempera and gold on panel
Movement| Cretan School
Dimensions| 61.4 cm × 45 cm (24.2 in × 18 in)
Location| Holy Cathedral of the Dormition of the Virgin, Hermoupolis

Dormition of the Virgin is a tempera painting on panel executed by El Greco near the end of his Cretan period, probably before 1567. El Greco's signature on the base of the central candelabrum was discovered in 1983. The discovery of the Dormition led to the attribution of three other signed works of "Doménicos" to El Greco (Modena Triptych, St. Luke Painting the Virgin and Child, and The Adoration of the Magi) and then to the acceptance as authentic of more works, signed or not (such as The Passion of Christ (Pietà with Angels), painted in 1566).[1]

This discovery constituted a significant advance in the understanding of El Greco's formation and early career.[2] The painting combines post-Byzantine and Italian mannerist stylistic and iconographic elements. El Greco is now seen as an artist with a formative training on Crete; a series of works illuminate the style of early El Greco, some painted while he was still in Crete, some from his period in Venice, and some from his subsequent stay in Rome.[3]

The icon, which retains its function as an object of veneration in the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin in Syros, was probably brought to the island during the Greek War of Independence. The icon conforms closely to the established pattern for this subject, which was very common in the Orthodox Church in which El Greco was raised and was influenced by.[2] Nevertheless, it has lost some elements of the traditional Byzantine austerity, adopting traits of the Renaissance engravings.[4]

The composition of the Burial of the Count of Orgaz has been closely related to the Byzantine iconography of the Dormition of the Theotokos. The examples that have been used to support this point of view have a close relationship with the icon of the Dormition by El Greco that was discovered in 1983 in the church of the same name in Syros. Marina Lambraki-Plaka believes that such a connection exists.[5] Robert Byron, according to whom the iconographic type of the Dormition was the compositional model for The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, asserts that El Greco as a genuine Byzantine painter worked throughout his life with a repertoire of components and motifs at will, depending on the narrative and expressive requirements of the art.[6]

## See also[edit]

* List of works by El Greco
* Cretan School

## References[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dormination of the Virgin by El Greco (Ermoupolis, Syros).

1. ^ D. Alberge, Collector Is Vindicated as Icon is Hailed as El Greco
2. ^ a b Web Gallery of Art, The Dormition of the Virgin
3. ^ Cormack-Vassilaki, The Baptism of Christ Archived 2007-03-06 at the Wayback Machine
4. ^ M. Tazartes, El Greco, 74
5. ^ M. Lambraki-Plaka, El Greco-The Greek, 55
6. ^ R. Byron, Greco: The Epilogue to Byzantine Culture, 160-174

## External links[edit]

* The Dormition of the Virgin at the Web Gallery of Art

* v
* t
* e

Cretan Renaissance

Principal proponents|

* El Greco
* Georgios Klontzas
* Michael Damaskinos
* Andreas Pavias
* Angelos Akotantos
* Andreas Ritzos
* Nikolaos Tzafouris
* Michael Fokas

Other artists|

* Thomas Bathas
* Markos Bathas
* Theophanes the Cretan
* Frangos Katelanos
* Ioannis Permeniates
* Angelos Pitzamanos
* Nikolaos Lampoudis
* Antonios Papadopoulos
* Ioannis Apakas
* Euphrosynos
* Nikolaos Ritzos
* Nikolaos Philanthropinos

Major works|

* The Virgin Eleousa (1425–1457)
* Saint Anne with the Virgin (1425–1457)
* Christ the Vine (1425–1457)
* The Virgin Pantanassa (1436–1492)
* Jesus Hominum Salvator (1436–1492)
* The Crucifixion (Pavias) (c. 1440–1512)
* Christ Bearing the Cross (1487–1501)
* Madre della Consolazione (1490)
* Nursing Madonna and Child (Permeniates) (1520–1530)
* Madonna of Constantinople (1530)
* Adoration of the Magi (El Greco) (1565–1567)
* Dormition of the Virgin (El Greco) (1565–1566)
* Modena Triptych (1568)
* In Thee Rejoiceth (Klontzas) (1560–1608)
* Adoration of the Kings (Damaskinos) (c. 1587–1591)
* The Last Supper (Damaskinos) (1587–1591)
* The Last Judgement Triptych (Klontzas) 1560–1608
* Beheading of John the Baptist (Damaskinos) (1590)
* Virgin Nikopoios (1594)
* Stoning of Stephen (Damaskinos) (1591)
* Vision of the Apocalypse (Bathas) (1596)
* Portrait of Gabriel Severus (1577–1599)

Related|

* Hellenic Institute Venice
* Manolis Hatzidakis
* Institute of Neohellenic Research

* v
* t
* e

El Greco

* List of works
* Artistic overview
* Posthumous fame

Paintings|

* Adoration of the Magi (c. 1565–1567)
* Dormition of the Virgin (1565–1566)
* Healing of the Man Born Blind
* Dresden, 1567
* Parma, c. 1573
* Modena Triptych (1567–1569)
* Baptism of Christ (1567–1569)
* Last Supper (1568)
* Flight into Egypt (1570)
* Annunciation
* Prado, 1570
* Madrid, 1575–1576
* Illescas, 1600–1605
* Purification of the Temple
* Washington, 1570
* Minneapolis, 1570
* New York, 1595–1600
* London, 1600
* Madrid, 1609
* The Fable (1570–1575)
* Entombment of Christ (1570–1576)
* El Soplón (1571–1572)
* Pietà (1571–1576)
* Penitent Magdalene (1576–1578)
* Saint Sebastian (1576–1579)
* Santo Domingo el Antiguo Altarpiece (1577)
* Saint Lawrence's Vision of the Madonna and Child (1577)
* Adoration of the Holy Name of Jesus (1577–1579)
* Assumption of the Virgin (1577–1579)
* Disrobing of Christ (El Expolio) (1577–1579)
* Holy Trinity (c. 1577–1579)
* Saint Anthony of Padua (1580)
* Christ Carrying the Cross
* New York, c. 1580
* Barcelona, 1590–1595
* Madrid, 1597–1600
* The Martyrdom of Saint Maurice (1580–1582)
* The Tears of Saint Peter
* Barnard Castle, 1580–1589
* Mexico City, 1587–1596
* Oslo, c. 1590
* The Immaculate Conception with St John the Evangelist (c. 1585)
* The Burial of the Count of Orgaz (1586)
* Holy Family (1586–1588)
* Holy Face of Jesus (1586–1595)
* Saint Peter and Saint Paul
* Barcelona, 1587–1592
* Saint Petersburg, c. 1587–1592
* Agony in the Garden
* London, 1590
* Andújar, 1597–1607
* Christ on the Cross Adored by Two Donors (c. 1590)
* The Penitent Saint Peter (c. 1590–1595)
* Saint Louis (1592–1595)
* Virgin Mary (Mater Dolorosa) (c. 1594–1604)
* Holy Family (c. 1595)
* Christ Taking Leave of his Mother (1595)
* Saint Andrew and Saint Francis (1595–1598)
* Adoration of the Shepherds
* Bucharest, 1596
* Madrid, 1612–1614
* Doña María de Aragón Altarpiece (1596–1599)
* View of Toledo (1596–1600)
* Virgin Mary (1597)
* Saint Martin and the Beggar (1597–1599)
* The Virgin of Charity (1597–1603)
* Allegory of the Camaldolese Order (c. 1597)
* Saint John the Baptist (1597–1607)
* Saint John the Evangelist and Saint Francis (c. 1600)
* Saint Bernardino of Siena (1603)
* Nativity (1603–1605)
* Coronation of the Virgin (1603–1605)
* Marriage of the Virgin (1603–1607)
* Saint John the Evangelist (c. 1605)
* The Apparition of the Virgin to St. Hyacinth (c. 1605–1610)
* The Immaculate Conception (1607–1613)
* Saint Peter (1608)
* View and Plan of Toledo (1608)
* Concert of Angels (1608)
* The Saviour (1608–1614)
* Saint Thomas the Apostle (1608–1614)
* Opening of the Fifth Seal (1608–1614)
* Saint Jerome (1609)
* Saint Ildefonsus (1609)
* Saint Francis and Brother Leo (1609)
* Saint James the Great (1610)
* Saint Luke (1610–1614)
* Laocoön (1610–1614)
* Saint Paul (1610–1614)
* Saint Sebastian (1610–1614)
* Julián Romero and Saint Julian (1612–1614)

Portraits|

* Portrait of Giulio Clovio (c. 1571)
* Portrait of Vincenzo Anastagi (1571–1576)
* The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest (c. 1580)
* Portrait of a Doctor (1582–1585)
* Portrait of a Gentleman (c. 1586)
* Portrait of Rodrigo Vázquez de Arce (c. 1587–1597; lost, known from a copy)
* Portrait of an Elderly Man (1587–1600)
* Portrait of Antonio de Covarrubias (1595–1600)
* Self-Portrait (1595–1600)
* Portrait of Jorge Manuel Theotocópuli (c. 1597–1603)
* Portrait of a Young Nobleman (1600–1605)
* Cardinal Fernando Niño de Guevara (c. 1600)
* Portrait of an Unknown Gentleman (1603–1607)
* Portrait of Fray Hortensio Félix Paravacino (1609)
* Portrait of Juan Pardo de Tavera (1609)
* Portrait of Jerónimo de Cevallos (1609–1613)
* Portrait of Francisco de Pisa (1610–1614)

Museums|

* El Greco Museum, Toledo
* Museum of El Greco, Crete

Related|

* Jorge Manuel Theotocópuli (son)
* Lady in Ermine (1947 film)
* El Greco (1966 film)
* El Greco (1998 album)
* El Greco (2007 film)
* El Greco fallacy

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