Description of the attraction
The house-museum of the famous Spanish artist El Greco is located in the Jewish quarter of Toledo. The renowned Renaissance painter, known for his original, inimitable manner of painting, was a native of Crete. At the age of 35, he entered the service of the King of Spain, after some time he moved to Toledo, where he spent the rest of his life. It is here that the artist created most of his masterpieces.
The building that houses the artist's museum today is not actually his home, since the real house where the artist lived was destroyed in a fire. At the initiative of the Marquis de la Vega-Inclan, at the beginning of the 20th century, a building was restored, built in the 16th century and located very close to the real house of the artist. The house of the painter was recreated here, as it was during his lifetime. The artist's personal belongings that survived the fire, some pieces of furniture, and, of course, his outstanding canvases were transferred here. The museum opened its doors to visitors on June 12, 1911.
The idea of creating a museum, promoted by prominent figures of that time, was to preserve as much as possible the masterpieces of the great master, actively exported abroad and widely purchased by collectors. Today in the museum you can see such outstanding works of El Greco as "Lament of St. Peter", "Apostleship", "San Bernardino" and many others. The museum also displays works by Spanish painters and sculptors from the 16th to 17th centuries, among which the canvases of El Greco's student, Luis Tristan, occupy a special place.
