The Vision of Saint John

This is a fragment from an even larger altarpiece made for the church of the hospital of Saint John the Baptist in Toledo. It depicts an apocalyptic moment at the biblical end of time, based on the book of Revelation (6:9–11), a subject perfectly suited to El Greco’s visionary palette and otherworldly forms. El Greco probably recalled a famous ancient sculptural group, known as the Laocöon, in creating the nude figures in the distance, while Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel has been cited as among his sources for the dramatic contortions that convey such a strong emotional charge. During the early twentieth century, this painting was especially influential to avant-garde artists in Paris, including Picasso, who resuscitated El Greco’s reputation.