The folds of the garments, rendered with glazes, convey the sensation of volume and movement that El Greco wanted to achieve. In his Italian period the fabrics hugged the bodies, but over time his treatment of the draperies became more rigid, giving the impression of stiffly starched cloth.
His brushstrokes draw our attention to the texture of the fabric, applying
His brushstrokes draw our attention to the texture of the fabric, applying
numerous folds in a zigzag pattern that he later simplified in the final layers.
His mastery of the colour palette allowed him to construct the details of the garments by means of angular, intricate folds. The initial compositions gradually gave way to a geometric, almost Cubist simplification, with textures that seem to vibrate in the painting.
His mastery of the colour palette allowed him to construct the details of the garments by means of angular, intricate folds. The initial compositions gradually gave way to a geometric, almost Cubist simplification, with textures that seem to vibrate in the painting.
Click on each painting to display the layers.
- KEY
- The Annunciation ca.1576
- The Annunciation ca.1596-1600
- Christ with the Cross ca.1587-1596
- The Immaculate Conception ca.1608-1614