EL GRECO From Italy to Toledo

SUPPORT

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The support of this work by El Greco consists of two canvases. The original is a plain-weave cloth (typical of the Spanish Renaissance), and during restoration the work was lined with a single piece of canvas, also a plain weave, added to the back for reinforcement. Two patches of painted canvas were also added to the top and bottom of the painting.
The characteristics of the original cloth could only be revealed by X-ray imaging, as it was concealed on the front by layers of paint, and on the back by the lining.
The adjustable stretcher is made of pine and does not have a central crossbar, as it was considered unnecessary to maintain canvas tension given the picture’s small size (66 x 52.5 cm). It has four simple keys, one in each corner.