"The Disrobing of Christ", El Greco

The Disrobing of Christ, El Greco

The reason why I have chosen this painting is because of the importance of his painter in Spain nowadays. We are lucky due to the fact that during this year, 2014, we can visit in the city of Toledo a great exposition placed in different places of the city. A lot of paintings from all around the world have been brought to this city and people can see the work of El Greco and a lot of pictures that maybe they could never see in other circumstances.

Despite his nickname, that means “The Greek”, El Greco is a Spanish painter, sculptor and architect. He was born in Creta in 1541, but in 1577 he moved to Toledo, where he lived until his death, in 1614. His first works were influenced by his Italian teachers, but soon after, he found a personal style characterised by the creation of elongated, extremely thin, phantasmagorical and very expressive figures. He used the colours to create a contrast in his works.

The Disrobing of Christ, known to all as El Expolio, is one of the most famous paintings created by this artist. It is located in the Sacristy of the Cathedral of Toledo. El Greco painted it between the years 1577 and 1579; it was one of his first paintings in Spain. The work shows an episode of the Passion of the Christ. Jesus is in the centre of the picture, he is surrounded by a group of people who accompany him. In the left corner of the lower side of the picture, El Greco shows us the three Marys, the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene and Mary of Clopas, the three of them with a distraught look in their faces.

The artist wants to emphasise the presence of Christ; to do it, he creates a circled composition, where Christ is in the centre and the other people surround Him. Moreover, the painter uses colours that make a contrast in the work: everything is dark, all the figures have been painted in shady colours. Nevertheless, Christ, in the centre of the painting, has a red tunic that highlights His importance. His illuminated face and red clothes contrast with the dark figures who surround Him.