St Luke Painting the Virgin

A signed work by Domenicos Theotokopoulos (El Greco), created during his Cretan period. The depiction of the Virgin Hodegetria conforms totally to the Byzantine tradition of painting while combining features borrowed from contemporary Italian art, such as the free play of light and shade on the evangelist's garments and the winged angel shown crowning him. This early composition by Theotokopoulos bears witness to his ability to produce masterpieces in the Byzantine style but also to his artistic endeavour which led him to the creation of a new idiom through the amalgamation of Byzantine and Western tradition. The icon comes from Zante or Herakleion.

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

(Museum: Benaki Museum)