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Knight With his Hand on his Chest
Ca. 1578-80
Madrid, Museo del Prado
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This picture dates to the 1580’s, that is to El Greco’s early years in Toledo. The influence of Venetian painting and of Tintoretto in particular is still quite palpable. Attempts to establish the identity of the sitter have been unsuccessful. One hypothesis has suggested that he is Miguel de Cervantes, but this has not been confirmed. Note the nobleman’s gesture. Its significance has similarly not yet been interpreted. Is it an expression of proud self-confidence, of Christian remorse, a ceremonious oath, or merely a rhetorical pose?
The most recent restoration of the painting has revived debate about the work. Earlier, the picture apparently portrayed a melancholy Spaniard attired in black, whose sad, stern face seemed immersed in the dark background. Today, after restoration, we see a rather cosmopolitan personality in the Venetian tradition. The original colour nuances of the sitter’s clothes have also been revealed. The portrait is enlivened by a background that is both more suggestive and richer in colour.
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