DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68073#0285
SPANISH PAINTING
259
particularly famous for his Holy Families and Immaculate Con-
ceptions.
After Velasquez and Murillo there was no important painter until
the original, versatile, and prolific Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828), a
native of Aragon, who rose from a laborer in the fields to Court-
Painter. Goya had a profound influence on modern art, greatly affect-
ing, for instance, Manet and John Singer Sargent.
CARDINAL QUIROGA.
El Greco Collection of the late
(1545?-i6i4). Mr. Henry Clay Frick.
This picture, oil on canvas (37X x 43X inches), was discovered,
coated with the dust and dirt of ages, in a dark corner of the sacristy
of the Cathedral of Valladolid, where it had evidently been hidden
for centuries. A Parisian dealer, having heard of it, purchased it,
and from him it passed through several hands until it reached its
present home. The subject represents a Cardinal seated before a
table on which a volume is lying and the Cardinal’s hands are con-
spicuously posed upon opposite pages. The right thumb pointed
downwards emphatically upon a certain verse might possibly point
to a special text that the Cardinal was associated with as betokening
a famous sermon delivered by him, or, perhaps, an important contro-
versy with which his name was associated. The figure, face, and
hands are very elongated, as in all of El Greco’s performances; but
the general effect is more reposeful than usual with this painter.
Perhaps El Greco pulled the Cardinal out on his bed of Procrustes
as far as he dared, but the Cardinal was long and thin and attenuated
anyway, so that he was a model, as it were, ready made. It is one of
El Greco’s best works. The silvery hair and mist of beard are marvel-
lously painted, as are also the piercing eyes, keen and searching, yet
betraying the philosopher and man of much reading. The face is
intensely intellectual, but hard and cruel. No one would care to
attempt to break a lance with this gentleman in any kind of an
argument. With all his high-bred atmosphere, as both gentleman
259
particularly famous for his Holy Families and Immaculate Con-
ceptions.
After Velasquez and Murillo there was no important painter until
the original, versatile, and prolific Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828), a
native of Aragon, who rose from a laborer in the fields to Court-
Painter. Goya had a profound influence on modern art, greatly affect-
ing, for instance, Manet and John Singer Sargent.
CARDINAL QUIROGA.
El Greco Collection of the late
(1545?-i6i4). Mr. Henry Clay Frick.
This picture, oil on canvas (37X x 43X inches), was discovered,
coated with the dust and dirt of ages, in a dark corner of the sacristy
of the Cathedral of Valladolid, where it had evidently been hidden
for centuries. A Parisian dealer, having heard of it, purchased it,
and from him it passed through several hands until it reached its
present home. The subject represents a Cardinal seated before a
table on which a volume is lying and the Cardinal’s hands are con-
spicuously posed upon opposite pages. The right thumb pointed
downwards emphatically upon a certain verse might possibly point
to a special text that the Cardinal was associated with as betokening
a famous sermon delivered by him, or, perhaps, an important contro-
versy with which his name was associated. The figure, face, and
hands are very elongated, as in all of El Greco’s performances; but
the general effect is more reposeful than usual with this painter.
Perhaps El Greco pulled the Cardinal out on his bed of Procrustes
as far as he dared, but the Cardinal was long and thin and attenuated
anyway, so that he was a model, as it were, ready made. It is one of
El Greco’s best works. The silvery hair and mist of beard are marvel-
lously painted, as are also the piercing eyes, keen and searching, yet
betraying the philosopher and man of much reading. The face is
intensely intellectual, but hard and cruel. No one would care to
attempt to break a lance with this gentleman in any kind of an
argument. With all his high-bred atmosphere, as both gentleman