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Portrait of a Man

El Greco1570-1575

SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst

SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst
Copenhagen, Denmark

The chalk holder on the armrest, accompanied by a book with white and red bookmarks, suggests that the unknown man in the painting might be an artist. The attributes bring together the work of the hands and the soaring of the spirit, echoing Horace’s famous dictum "Ut pictura poesis" (as is painting so is poetry).

The artist's development

The portrait was done by a young El Greco during his sojourn in Rome, where he became a friend of the Farnese family and thus part of intellectual circles with an interest in the philosophical issues of Renaissance humanism. Before that time El Greco was a student of Titian (c. 1488/1490-1576), whose influence is evident in the style used for the execution of the male portrait.

El Greco proves himself a colourist in the Venetian tradition where colour and light take precedence over line. Later in life El Greco settled in the Spanish town of Toledo where his style took a drastic turn towards mannerism with elongated shapes and bright, even gaudy colours.

J.F. Willumsen and El Greco

In a sonnet, the Spanish poet Paravicino said: "Su estrañeza admirarán no imitarán edades" (Future generations will admire his strange genius, but for centuries he will not be imitated). And indeed 300 years would pass before figures such as the Danish artist J.F.Willumsen picked up where he left off.

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  • Title: Portrait of a Man
  • Creator: El Greco
  • Creator Lifespan: 1541 Iráklion, Kríti - 07-04-1614 Toledo
  • Creator Nationality: Greek
  • Creator Gender: Male
  • Creator Death Place: Toledo
  • Creator Birth Place: Iráklion, Kríti
  • Date Created: 1570-1575
  • Værktekst: At den ubekendte portrætterede mand kunne være kunstner, fremgår af en tegnekridtholder, som ligger på armlænet sammen med en bog med hvide og røde bogmærker. Attributterne forener håndens virke og åndens vingeflugt, hvorved den antikke digter Horats berømte dictum "Ut pictura poesis" (som digtekunsten, så også maleriet) bringes i tale. El Grecos udvikling og inspiration Portrættet er udført, mens El Greco som ung kunstner var i Rom, hvor han blev ven af Farnesefamilien og hermed del af et intellektuelt miljø, som interesserede sig for renæssancehumanismens filosofiske spørgsmål. Inden da havde El Greco været elev hos Tizian (ca. 1488/1490-1576), hvis indflydelse ses i det stiludtryk, mandsportrættet er rundet af. El Greco viser sig som kolorist i den venezianske tradition, i hvilken farve og lys dominerer over linjen. Senere i livet slog El Greco sig ned i den spanske by Toledo, hvor hans stil tog en drastisk vending mod det manierede med langstrakte former og hidsige farver. J.F. Willumsen og El Greco Den spanske digter Paravicino skrev i en sonet: "Su estrañeza admirarán no imitarán edades" (kommende generationer vil beundre hans mærkelige geni,men i sekler vil han ikke blive efterlignet). Der skulle da også gå 300 år, før blandt andet den danske kunstner J.F. Willumsen tog tråden op.
  • Teknik: Olie på lærred
  • Proveniens: Erhvervet 1763
  • Provenance: Acquired 1763
  • Physical Dimensions: w98 x h116 cm (Without frame)
  • Dansk link: http://www.smk.dk/index.php?id=2658
  • Dansk Titel: Mandsportræt
  • Type: Painting
  • Rights: Statens Museum for Kunst, http://www.smk.dk/en/copyright/creative-commons/
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst

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