This is a timeline about the life of El Greco.
Domenicos Theotocopoulos was born in Candia (or Chandaka), the capital of Crete, an island under the Venetian occupation, by a Greek Cretan urban family.
He receives humanistic education, as he learns Greek, Latin and Italian. He enters the field of art studying in one of the greatest workshops of Candia, that of Klontzas. So he becomes an icon painter.
He moves in Venice, Italy, in order to get to know the Renaissance art and the most important Venetian painters of the era. There, he gets to know Titiano and becomes an apprentice for a while in his workshop.
He travels and stays in Rome, where he has contacts with Cardinal Farnese, whom he introduces himself as a portraitist and student of Titiano. He approximates classicism of the latest period of Renaissance and Mannerism.
Possible trip to Venice. He probably came back again to Venice, after he left Rome, since he didn’t succeed in being appreciated there.
He moves to Spain. Since his efforts to win the favour of the king failed, Domenicos settles in Toledo (1577), at the imperial court. There he carries out the comission for the altar of the church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo.
His son, Chorche Manuel, is born out of his relationship with Jeronima de la Cuevas, resident of Toledo.
Philip II commissions “The Martyrdom of Saint Maurice and his Legions” for one of the chapels of the church of the Escorial. The painting was completed in 1582, but did not satisfy the king.
The vicar of Saint Thomas commissions the “The Burial of the Count of Orgaz”. This masterpiece proves his full integration in Toledo. In this painting El Greco adds also himself among the important persons that are illustrated.
He sends important commissions even outside Toledo. The decoration for the church of the College of Dona Maria de Aragon is his unique work of art in Madrid.
El Greco was involved in a dispute with the authorities of the Hospital of Charity concerning payment for his work.
Manousos, Domenico’s brother, arrives in Spain and stays with him after many years of travelling.
This year Manousos Theotocopoulos died.
Domenicos Theotocopoulos dies in 7th April in Toledo being very poor and without leaving a will. He never returned in his homeland, but he also never stopped signing in Greek. His coffin was placed at the church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo.
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