El Greco's The Spoliation (Frontpage) (What's New Page)   (Art Links Page)  (Refer This Site )
 
 
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The Disrobing of Christ 
1583-84 
Alte Pinakothek, Munich 

 
The Disrobing of Christ 
c. 1600 
Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest 

Other Works by El Greco 
 
  
Saint Martin and the Beggar 
1597/1599 
(Sargent had purchased a copy  
of this by Greco's son) 

 
Pieta 
1587-97 
(Sargent had copied this on a  
trip to the Prado, Spain, in July 1895)

The Spoliation
(aka The Disrobing of Christ)
El Greco (Greek/Spanish Mannerist Painter, 1541-1614)
1577-79
Sacristy of the Cathedral, Toledo
Oil on canvas
 285 x 173 cm
 Jpeg: Web Gallery 
 

The Spoliation is considered one of the most stunning depiction's of Christ, particularly given the luminous red robe in a crowed of muted figures. The scene depicts Christ at the foot of the cross as it, as well as he, are prepared for the crucifixion.  

The painting hangs at the High Altar of the Sacristy of the Cathedral in Toledo. The painting was started in the summer of 1577 and completed in the spring of 1579. This represents Greco's first documented work in Spain.  

He would eventually do additional versions of this painting, possibly as many as three. There are several, mainly full-length replicas and copies painted after the one in the Toledo Cathedral -- many are questionably attributed to El Greco. Copies can be found in Bilbao, Munich, New York, Florence, Madrid, Orgaz, Toledo, Mallorca, Chicago, Cardiff, Lyon, Oslo and Zurich.  

How many were actually done by El Greco is unclear [1] 

Notes:   
   
The name is from the Web Gallery  

1) One place within the Web Gallery said Greco did three copies of this painting. But under "The Spoliation" The Web Gallery said there were many copies by other artists falsely attributed to Greco and only the original is of El Greco. 

 
 
  
 
 
 
  

 
 
 

 


By:  Natasha Wallace
Copyright 1998-2002 all rights reversed
Created 1/31/2002
Updated 12/30/2002