The Burial of Count Orgaz 1586 by El Greco
Residing in Toledo Spain, The Burial of Count Orgaz,1586, by El Greco, draws people to the centuries-old mountainous town to view the artist’s work. Depicting the laying to rest of Don Gonzalo Ruiz de Toledo, a man of charity and also a descendent of Byzantine royalty; his death in 1323, held legend that heaven opened up to receive him, with Saint Stephen and Saint Augustine attending to his body personally. Christ reigns at the head of the painting, flanked by Saint Peter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Baptist and angels. Below, men of local prominence attend to the procession led by clergy.
Granting it a robustness of spirit, the oil painting on canvas measures large at 190 inches by 140 inches. The colors work well with each other; gold, white, grey and black mix into fantastic allure. The purple and red of Mary’s robes hearken back to depiction of Plato from Raphael’s School of Athens, while the slivers of scarlet red on the dress of Saint Stephen and Saint Augustine cut viscerally. This work testifies to the notable style of the artist.
El Greco also shows soft mannerism that feels natural and poignant; it appears carved out of air. There is ubiquitous exaggeration throughout the painting; magnanimity and splendor pulsate. Light glistens and snakes about in organic fashion, emanating from itself; suggesting divinity. The clouds have a thick chalky smoothness to them that is supple and supportive, bending to the movements of heaven. The local townsmen of prominence — taken from the time of the painting’s rendering- are life like, pious, and strikingly calm given the super natural event. El Greco’s heritage perhaps shows influence of Orthodox religious art, as there is efficacy of Eastern Christian iconography in the angels and saints. Yet here, they have leapt from their stoic frescos, stirring to the transition of Count Orgaz into the afterlife.
Taking a critical perspective, the visual culture is expressed exquisitely. A devout faith is shown, warm in belief and ritual — two stalwart pillars of the religion. The spirit of the counter-reformation is resilient in its fullness; flowering with aspects of Catholicism. Saints, angels, clergy and laity all breathe the spirit of their God.
Personally, this painting gives me the emotional resonance of satisfaction. Though I have no grand understanding of Catholicism, this work is what I would imagine the faith to be at its very best. The world in this painting is ethereal and encompassing, warm, subtle and reverent; fair and loving, immediate and persuasive. As a whole, the work is captivating; suggestive of a living order to this life and the one beyond. What El Greco depicts in The Burial of Count Orgaz is magnificent.