Decoration of the Chapel of the Hospital de la Caridad at Illescas (1603-05)
by EL GRECO

In 1603 El Greco received the commission for a new altarpiece for the Hospital de la Caridad, Illescas. The commission included the decoration of the whole chapel, including the design for the retable and the provision of sculptures as well as paintings of the Madonna of Charity, Coronation of the Virgin, Annunciation and Nativity. The contract stipulated that the altarpiece should be in place by 31 August 1604. However, the work was completed only by 4 August 1605, and a bitter and lengthy litigation started over the price which ended with compromise in March 1607.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 22 minutes):
Thomas Tallis: Mass (Puer natus est)

Preview Picture Data File Info Comment
The Annunciation
1603-05
Oil on canvas, diameter: 128 cm
Hospital de la Caridad, Illescas

709*700
True Color
101 Kb



The Coronation of the Virgin
1603-05
Oil on canvas, 163 x 220 cm
Hospital de la Caridad, Illescas

903*666
True Color
136 Kb



The Nativity
1603-05
Oil on canvas, diameter: 128 cm
Hospital de la Caridad, Illescas

1008*1000
True Color
86 Kb



The Madonna of Charity
1603-05
Oil on canvas, 155 x 123 cm
Hospital de la Caridad, Illescas

800*1370
True Color
175 Kb



St Ildefonso
1603-05
Oil on canvas, 187 x 102 cm
Hospital de la Caridad, Illescas

800*1445
True Color
141 Kb



St Ildefonso (detail)
1603-05
Oil on canvas, detail size 40 x 33 cm
Hospital de la Caridad, Illescas

850*1022
True Color
172 Kb



St Ildefonso
c. 1608
Oil on canvas, 112 x 65 cm
National Gallery of Art, Washington

580*1000
True Color
112 Kb




Summary of paintings by El Greco
Crete: before 1567 | Venice: 1567-70 | Rome: 1570-75
Spain
1576-80 (page 1) (page 2) | 1581-85 | 1586-90 | 1591-95 | 1596-1600
Santo Domingo: 1577-79 | Count Orgaz: 1586-88 | Colegio: 1596-1600
Capilla San José: 1597-99 | Illescas: 1603-05 | Apostolado: 1610-14
c. 1600 | 1601-05 | 1606-10 | c. 1610 | after 1610
Oballe Chapel: 1608-13 | Hospital Tavera: 1608-14 | Drawings | Sculptures
Subjects
| Apostles | Saints | Christ | Portraits |