description Pentecost (El Greco, Prado) Overview
El Greco's Pentecost was painted around 1597-1600 for the altarpiece of the Colegio de Doña María de Aragón in Madrid and is now in the Museo del Prado. It represents the Holy Spirit descending as a dove above the Virgin Mary, the apostles, and other gathered figures. Their elongated bodies, upward gazes, strong colors, and flame-like arrangement turn the biblical event into a concentrated image of spiritual revelation.
help Pentecost (El Greco, Prado) FAQ
Where is El Greco's Pentecost in the Prado displayed?
The painting is in the Museo del Prado in Madrid. It was originally created for the altarpiece of the Colegio de Doña María de Aragón in Madrid, a project El Greco worked on around 1597 to 1600.
Was El Greco's Pentecost part of a larger altarpiece commission?
Yes, it was one of several canvases El Greco painted for the altarpiece of the Colegio de Doña María de Aragón, an Augustine institution in Madrid. This was one of his most important late-career commissions, and other paintings from the same commission are also in the Prado.
What style characteristics does El Greco's Pentecost show?
The painting features El Greco's signature elongated figures, swirling drapery, dramatic lighting, and bold non-naturalistic color. These qualities place it firmly in his mature Mannerist style, which departed from Renaissance conventions of proportion and spatial realism.
Who are the figures depicted in El Greco's Pentecost?
The painting shows the Virgin Mary and the apostles gathered as the Holy Spirit descends upon them in the form of a dove. El Greco arranged the figures in a tightly compressed, upward-thrusting composition that emphasizes the spiritual intensity of the moment.
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