Greco, El - View of Toledo Art Print
Brandywine General Store
An archival premium Quality Art Print of A View of Toledo by El Greco for sale by Brandywine General Store. The artist painted this oil on canvas sometime around the year 1597, with the original size being 48 by 43 inches. This painting is one of only two that still survive of the landscapes painted by El Greco, with the other one being View and Plan of Toledo, which we have listed elsewhere. As with the other landscape, the artist took liberties in moving around the actual sites of the buildings. The view of the eastern section of Toledo from the north would not have included the cathedral, which the artist imaginatively moved to the left of the Alcazar, the royal palace. Other buildings represented in the painting include the ancient Alcantara Bridge and on the other side of the river Tagus is the Castle of San Servando, which is accurately portrayed on the side.
This painting is considered by art historians as one of the best known depictions of the sky in western art, ranking up with Vincent Van Gogh's The Starry Night and some landscapes by William Turner and Monet. It features sharp color contrast between the sky and the hills below. El Greco painted this in a Mannerist or Baroque style. El Greco is considered the first painter of landscapes in the history of Spanish art. Old Masters Art Print #73