Mannerism · 1541–1614 · Greek

El Greco

Trained as an icon painter in Crete and then in Venice, El Greco kept the Venetian love of strong color but pushed it toward cold, acid tones: sharp yellows, greens and pinks against stormy greys.

Across 4 works, the colors are mostly brown (36%), gray (24%) and black (20%). On average the canvases are mid-toned, muted and warm. Signature colors, used far more here than across the collection: dark muted green, very dark sienna, dark muted azure teal, dark muted lime green and graphite.

Color print

The swatches covering most of these canvases, averaged over every work, dark to light.

• MG 222 charcoal 9.8% of canvas
• MG 218 graphite 7.0% of canvas
• MG 177 dark taupe 6.3% of canvas
• MG 219 bistre 4.8% of canvas
• MG 176 taupe 4.4% of canvas
• MG 223 soot 3.9% of canvas
• MG 217 iron 3.9% of canvas
• MG 175 stone 3.6% of canvas
• MG 216 dark grey 3.6% of canvas
• MG 146 very dark sienna 3.5% of canvas
• MG 212 pale grey 3.4% of canvas
• MG 224 black 3.4% of canvas
• MG 060 dark muted green 3.3% of canvas
• MG 211 dark slate 3.1% of canvas
• MG 084 dark muted azure teal 2.9% of canvas
• MG 059 dark muted lime green 2.6% of canvas

Measurements

Lightness

0.42

Contrast

0.52

Vividness

0.029

Warmth

+0.42

Complexity

221 cells

Hue range

0.56

Focus

0.14

Works

• The Disrobing of Christ, c. 1578
• The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, 1586
• View of Toledo, 1596
• Opening of the Fifth Seal, 1610