The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest, El Greco

It is the painting by El Greco that has had the most influence on Spanish art and culture. Painted in 1580, it is not certain who the man portrayed is, however he is considered as a knight representative of honor and integrity, dressed in the fashion of the second half of the 16th century. It is a half-length portrait of a knight with an honorable appearance, with a calm, almost indifferent gaze, making a gesture of oath with his right hand. With his left hand he holds the sword, of which only the hilt is visible. The style of the painting is Mannerist, that is, it uses compositional elements of the great masters of the High Renaissance.