EL GRECO (1541- 1614 )

EVEN THOUGH HE WORKED AND LIVED IN TOLEDO, SPAIN, SINCE 1577 UNTIL HIS DEATH, HE WAS OF GREEK ORIGIN. HIS REAL NAME WAS DOMENIKOS THEOTOKOPULOS AND HE WAS BORN IN CRETE, WHICH AT THE TIME WAS PART OF THE VENICE REPUBLIC.

HE CAME FROM A WEALTHY FAMILY, AND MANTAINED HIS STATUS THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. IN TOLEDO HE USED TO ENTERTAIN HIS MEALS WITH A PRIVATE ORCHESTRA.

HIS ART IS SO INDIVIDUAL THAT MODERN SCHOLARS WEREN'T ABLE TO CATEGORIZE HIM IN ANY CONVENTIONAL SCHOOL.

HA WAS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAVAGANT, ORIGINAL AND INTERESTING PAINTER OF THE 16th CENTURY.

THE NIGHT FALLS

OVER THE CITY

SHADES OF BLUE

CONCEALING

MY UNHAPPINESS.

I KNOW

THE TIME HAS COME

FOR LEAVING

THINGS BEHIND.

THE VISION

OF THE END

IS SO STRONG

AND TANTALIZING,

THAT THE ANGELS

CRY OUT LOUD

THEIR MISTERIOUS

WARNINGS.

I TRY

TO UNDERSTAND

WITH MY EYES

FULL OF TEARS

AN MY BROKEN HEART

BLEEDING

FOR THE LOSS

OF REDEMPTION.

BUT MY MIND

FLOATS UNEASY

IN SOMBER DARK

AND BLUE SPACES,

AND MY BODY

REMAINS LAX

IN THE DEVIL'S

EMBRACE.

CARAVAGGIO (MICHELANGELO MERISI DA CARAVAGGIO ) 1573- 1609

HE IS RENOWNED FOR HIS USE OF 'CHIAROSCURO', A TECHNIQUE THAT USES LIGHT AND DARK TO CREATE A 3D EFFECT AND AN ATMOSPHERE FULL OF DRAMA AND EMOTION. HIS PAINTINGS HAD AN INTENSITY OF REALISM THAT MADE QUITE AN IMPACT ON THE MINDS OF PEOPLE USED TO THE DISTORTED NOTION OF THE HUMAN BODY PAINTED BY ARTISTS WHO DIDN'T PAINT FROM LIFE; AN EXAMPLE IS THE CLASSICAL IDEALISM OF MICHELANGELO AND OTHER PAINTERS OF THE 15th AND 16th CENTURIES.

HE USUALLY PAINTED THEMES FROM THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT WHO WHERE ORDERED BY CATHOLIC CHURCHES ALL OVER ITALY, DESPITE THEIR CRUDENESS AND OUTSTANDING REALITY.

CARAVAGGIO WAS AN AGGRESSIVE, ILL-HUMORED, BELLIGERENT MAN WITH A VOLATILE TEMPER WHICH MADE HIM LEAD A TURBULENT LIFE. IN ROME, WHERE HE LIVED, HE WAS IMPRISONED MANY TIMES.

IN 1606, AFTER BEGINING AN ARGUMENT OVER A GAME, HE KILLED HIS OPONENT WITH HIS SWORD. SO HE HAD TO FLEE TO NAPLES, WHERE HE GOT INTO TROUBLE AGAIN. FOR THIS REASON HE SCAPE TO SICILY AND MALTA, IN ORDER TO AVOID THE LAW. THUS HE BEGAN A LIFE OF CONSTANT MOTION ,UNTIL HE DIED OF MALARIA AT THE AGE OF THIRTY-SIX IN PORTO ERCOLE.

AT LAST ,HE WAS ABSOLVED BY THE POPE, BUT HE DIED BEFORE KNOWING IT.

HE CLOSED THE DOOR AND RAN DOWNSTAIRS. THE FROZEN NIGHT AIR HURT HIS EYES AND HIS LIPS. 'LIKE LUCIFER'S KISS' HE THOUGHT.

SHIVERING HE CROSSED THE COBBLED STREET AND HIDING HIS FACE IN THE  BLACK HOOD, AND WRAPPING HIS MEAGRE BODY IN THE OLD AND WITHERED CASOCK, HE DISAPPEARED IN A NARROW PATHWAY.

HE STOPPED A MOMENT IN A SHADOWED ALLEY TO WARM HIS COLD FINGERS WITH HIS HOT AND SPICY BREATH.

THE SHADOWS GREW DARKER, AND SOMEONE WHISPERED IN HIS EAR :  'LOST?'

HE RAISED HIS HEAD AND SMILED TO THE BEAUTIFUL FACE OF LILITH.

WILLIAM HOGARTH (1697- 1764 )

HE WAS AN ENGLISH PAINTER FAMOUS FOR THE 'RAKE'S PROGRESS' PAINTINGS, WHICH SHOWED THE DECLINE OF A YOUNG MAN INTO DRUNKNESS AND IMMORALITY.

HE MADE HIS MONEY MOSTLY IN PORTRAIT ENGRAVINGS AND SATIRICAL DRAWINGS,WHICH MADE HIM LOT OF ENEMIES IN PARLIAMENT.

HE ALSO HAD A REPUTATION FOR THEATRE DECORATION PAINTINGS AND WAS A WELL-KNOWN PROLIFIC PRINTMAKER.

ANOTHER FAMOUS SERIES WERE 'MARRIAGE A LA MODE' AND 'THE HARLOT'S PROGRESS'

IN 1753 HE WROTE THE BOOK ' THE ANALYSIS OF BEAUTY'.

THE OIL SKETCH 'THE SHRIMP GIRL' IS ONE OF HIS MASTERPIECES.

BETTY THE HARLOT

WANDERS UNEASY

SEARCHING HER CLIENTS

FOR SEX QUICK AND EASY.

SHE'S PERFUMED ALL OVER

HER DRESS QUITE IN FASHION

RICE POWDER CONCEALING

THE TRACE OF HER PASSION.

SHE STANDS IN THE CORNER

OF MANCHESTER SQUARE

ALL RIBBONS AND LACES

AND BLOOMS ON HER HAIR.

GIOVANNI BATTISTA PIRANESI (1720- 1778 )

PIRANESI WAS AN ITALIAN ARCHITECT, RESTORER, ENGRAVER AND PRINTMAKER, FAMOUS FOR HIS ETCHINGS AND SKETCHES OF FICTICIOUS 'DARK' PRISONS ( CARCERI D'INVENZIONI )

IN 1761, HE OPENED A PRINTING SHOP OF HIS OWN, WHERE  ALL HIS COLLECTIONS OF ETCHINGS WERE PRINTED.

AS AN ARCHITECT HE WAS COMMISIONED TO RESTORE VARIOUS CHURCHES AND ROMAN BUILDINGS, LIKE SANTA MARIA DEL PRIORATO AND SAN GIOVANNI IN LATERANO .

IN 1776 HE CREATED THE FAMOUS 'PIRANESI VASE' FOR WHICH HE WAS KNOWN AS A GREAT 'RESTORER' OF ANCIENT SCULPTURE.

FRANCISCO DE GOYA Y LUCIENTES ( 1746- 1828 )

SPANISH PAINTER AND PRINTMAKER BORN IN ZARAGOZA.

HE WAS A COURT PAINTER FOR THE SPANISH CROWN FROM 1778 TO 1812, SO HE MADE A LOT OF PORTRAITS OF THE KINGS, COUNTS ,MARQUISES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND WAS ALWAYS ASKED IN COMMISION FOR THE SPANISH NOBILITY, WHERE HE HAD MANY FRIENDS.

IN 1792, AFTER BEING ILL WITH CHOLERA AND HIGH FEVERS,HE WAS LEFT DEAF AND BECAME INTROSPECTIVE AND ILL-HUMORED. HE SPENT FIVE YEARS IN RECUPERATION. DURING THIS TIME HE DREW VARIOUS 'DARK VISION' ETCHINGS DUE TO HIS ILLNESS AND DEPRESSION. THEY WERE CALLED 'LOS CAPRICHOS'

IN 1814, WITH THE IDEA OF ISOLATING HIMSELF, HE BOUGHT A HOUSE NEAR MANZANARES. THIS PROPERTY WAS CALLED BY THE VILLAGERS 'LA CASA DEL SORDO' ( HOUSE OF THE DEAF MAN). SURPRISINGLY IT WAS NOT CALLED THAT WAY AFTER HIM, BUT AFTER THE PREVIOUS OWNER.

THERE HE MADE THE UNUSUAL 'BLACK PAINTINGS', ABOUT WITCHCRAFT AND WAR.

IT WAS SAID THAT IN HIS LAST YEARS, HE SUFFERED OF PARANOID DEMENTIA DUE TO AN UNKNOWN BRAIN TRAUMA.

CREATURES OF THE NIGHT

THAT VISIT MY VIGIL

CLOUDING MY SIGHT

INSOMNIA AND DESPAIR

FEAR AND DISTRUST

MY HANDS SHAKE

AS I SHOVE DARK MEMORIES

FROM MY BROW.

MY LIPS QUIVER

WITH HATRED ,

THE TRAGEDY WROUGHT

BY FEELINGS

FOR THIS LISTLESS SOULS.

AND THEY STILL REMAIN,

THEIR FEATURES

SO GROTESQUE,

THAT MAKE MY MIND COLLAPSE

WITH FEAR AND DISDAIN

AND I GASP LONGING

FOR DAWN'S FRESH AIR

AND I YEARN IN ANGUISH

FOR MORNING'S FLAIR

WHILE ALL THESE GHOULS

STILL REMAIN

GATHERED IN MY WITHERED

BRAIN

SPOILING MY SLEEP

WITH QUIZZICAL CHANTS

IN A 'DANCE MACABRE'S'

GAME.

Poems by E. de C.