The Vision of Saint John
This work is a fragment from a large 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. Many avant-garde painters studied El Greco’s canvas while it was in Paris between 1907 and 1909. Pablo Picasso was directly inspired by the dramatic figures in this work for his landmark painting Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907; Museum of Modern Art, New York).
Artwork Details
- Title: The Vision of Saint John
- Artist: El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos) (Greek, Iráklion (Candia) 1541–1614 Toledo)
- Date: ca. 1608–14
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 87 1/2 x 76 in. (222.3 x 193 cm); with added strips 88 1/2 x 78 1/2 in. (224.8 x 199.4 cm) [top truncated]
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1956
- Object Number: 56.48
- Curatorial Department: European Paintings
More Artwork
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.