Portrait of Hortensio Felix Paravicino by El Greco

This heartly portrait of great sobriety highlights the unquestionable genius of El Greco for capturing the intellectual spirit of his time. Staging an eminent theologian and poet close to the artist, the canvas is presented under the narrative designation of “Portrait of Hortensio Felix Paravicino”. The composition concentrates on the character's interiority through an economy of means that reinforces the striking modernity of the pictorial whole.

The religious man is represented seated in a large dark leather armchair, his body slightly leaning forward in an attitude of attentive listening. He is dressed in the white and black habit of his monastic order, whose large white hood frames his pale face with fine features. His neat black beard and arched eyebrows underline dark eyes fixing the viewer with a sharp intelligence. With his left hand, he firmly holds a large bound book while his right hand rests loosely on the wooden armrest. The neutral, monochrome background of an earthy brown highlights the whiteness of his tunic and the clarity of his milky skin.

The painter's virtuosity lies in the fluidity of his nervous touch and the subtlety of the chromatic transitions between black and white. His mastery of oil painting confers an unforgettable carnal and psychological presence upon this model of great nobility of mind.