Greek-born Spanish Mannerist Painter, 1541-1614 Considered a representative of late Renaissance Spanish art, El Greco was actually born in Greece, on the island of Crete. After studying in Venice under Titian, El Greco settled in Toledo, Spain in 1577. At the time he was wildly popular, his emotionally religious paintings being just the ticket for the hometown of the Spanish Inquisition. After his death his work was largely ignored until the beginning of the 20th century; now he considered one of the inspired geniuses of Western art. His distinctive style features bold shapes and colors, with elongated and slightly distorted figures. In Toledo El Greco was in constant demand and liked living large: he maintained a private orchestra to accompany his meals.  Related Paintings of El Greco :. | The Purification of the Temple | man with his hand on his breast | portrait of jeronimo de cevallos | the vision of st. john | Stigmatisation des Hl. Franziskus |
Related Artists:
Frederic Soulacroix
19th Century Portrait Painter Victorian Period.1825-1879
Hicks, Thomas
American Painter, 1823-1890 Cousin of Edward Hicks. After being apprenticed (c. 1835-9) in the sign-painting shop of his cousin, he studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia (1839-40) and at the National Academy of Design in New York (1840-44). He then sketched and painted in England, Italy and France before becoming a student of Thomas Couture in Paris (1848-9). On his return to the USA in 1849, he established a studio in New York and quickly became a popular portrait painter, although his portrayals only rarely have enough psychological depth to make them of more than documentary interest. Hamilton Fish (1852; New York, City Hall) is among his stronger works. Hicks also painted genre subjects, such as Musicale: Barber Shop, Trenton Falls (1866; Raleigh, NC Mus. A.), and landscapes, the latter chiefly near Thornwood, his summer residence at Trenton Falls, NY.
Peter van Bloemen
Pieter van Bloemen, called Standaart (bapt. 17 January 1657 - 6 March 1720), first name also spelled Peter or Peeter, was a Flemish painter. Van Bloemen was born in Antwerp, where he attained the status of master at the age of 17. He then went to Rome, where he remained until 1694, adopting completely Italian manners. In 1699 he became dean of the Guild of Saint Luke in Antwerp. He was the teacher of his younger brother Jan Frans van Bloemen, a highly regarded painter of classical landscapes. The brothers travelled widely together, often collaborating on works, with Pieter taking on the role of figurista in Jan Frans' vedute, a role he also performed for many other artists.