Description: This fundamental contribution to El Greco scholarship, until now only available in Greek, provides a thoroughly substantiated assessment of the evidence regarding the formative years in the life of one of the greatest artists of all time. Dealing with his birthplace, family, name, religious affiliation, and apprenticeship as a painter, Nikolaos Panagiotakes concludes that El Greco was already an established professional 'master painter' by the time he left Crete for Italy in 1567 at the age of twenty-six.
Review Quotes: 'The first and most obvious contribution of this book is that it comprehensively summarizes all prior scholarship on the problem, not only making available in English what was first published in Greek, but also rereading each and every previously published document, putting them into context in order to extract from them as much information as possible. Second, building on a deep knowledge of every aspect of Cretan economic, social, and intellectual history, Panagiotakes's book offers an exhaustive discussion of such problems as El Greco's family background, his religious affiliation, and, particularly, his apprenticeship... this elegantly written and translated book unquestionably constitutes an important contribution to one of the most fascinating biographies of the Renaissance.' Sixteenth Century Journal