Discovery of El Greco

The Nationalization of Culture versus the Rise of Modern Art (1860–1914)

Originally published in Dutch and translated to Spanish for the fourth centenary celebration of the death of El Greco in 2014, this book is a comprehensive study of the rediscovery of El Greco – seen as one of the most important events of its kind in art history. The Nationalization of Culture versus the Rise of Modern Art analyzes how changes in artistic taste in the second half of the nineteenth century caused a profound revision of the place of El Greco in the artistic canon. This study examines the work of painters, art critics, writers, scholars and philosophers from France, Germany and Spain, and the role of exhibitions, auctions, monuments and commemorations. Paintings and associated anecdotes are discussed, and historical debates such as El Greco's supposed astigmatism are addressed in a highly readable and engaging style. This book will be of interest to both specialists and the interested art public.