Drawings
by EL GRECO

One hundred and fifty drawings were listed in the inventory of El Greco's possession after his death, however, very few of them survived. We know that El Greco considered drawing an activity fundamental importance for an artist. He used drawings to try out poses and test the dynamics of his subjects so as to achieve visual harmony with other elements of a much larger composition.

Preview Picture Data File Info Comment
St John the Baptist
1577
Pen and brown ink with brown and grey wash, heightened with white on paper, 136 x 55 mm
Private collection

400*970
True Color
72 Kb



St John the Evangelist
1577
Pen and brown ink with brown wash, heightened with white on paper, 136 x 50 mm
Private collection

400*1010
True Color
72 Kb



St John the Evangelist
c. 1577
Black chalk with traces of white, on yellowish paper, 255 x 155 mm
Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid

650*1039
True Color
90 Kb



Study for St John the Evangelist and an Angel
1596-99
Pen and pale-brown ink and wash on off-white paper, 337 x 210 mm
J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

650*1028
True Color
80 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 |