Anatomy as an expressive medium : a muscular and an exalted body in El Greco's "Christ Healing the Blind" (1570-5)

Abstract

For Renaissance artists whose purpose was to portray human figures convincingly knowledge of anatomy, which is based on the dissection of bodies, was essential. In the case of El Greco, who received his first artistic education in late Byzantine Crete, the acquisition of anatomical knowledge was prerequisite to enable him to become a Western painter. By the seventies of the sixteenth century his art reveals a rapid development of naturalistic figural representation. As an unique example of his expressive use of anatomy the second version of "Christ Healing the Blind" (1570-5) is analysed. The focus is put on the body-spirit duality represented by the juxtaposed muscular body of the Hercules figure and the exalted figure of the man who had regained his sight. By means of these anatomically contrasting figures El Greco demonstrated the dichotomy between classical and Christian art. In this seminal work he initiated his personal manner of figural representation, foreshadowing his later works in which figures are elongated and dematerialised to express their non-terrestrial, spiritual destiny according to the Neoplatonic idea.

Anatomie as ’n ekspressiewe medium: ’n gespierde en ’n verheerlikte liggaam in El Greco se "Christus genees die blindes" (1570-5): Vir Renaissance-kunstenaars wat menslike figure oortuigend wou voorstel, was kennis van anatomie, wat op die disseksie van kadawers gebaseer is, onontbeerlik. In die geval van El Greco wat sy eerste kunsonderrig in Kretaanse laat-Bisantynse kuns ontvang het, was die verwerwing van anatomiese kennis ’n voorvereiste om ’n Westerse skilder te word. Teen die sewentigerjare van die sestiende eeu toon sy kuns ’n vinnige ontwikkeling in die voorstelling van naturalistiese figure. As ’n unieke voorbeeld van sy ekspressiewe aanwending van anatomie word die tweede weergawe van "Christus genees die blindes" (1570-5) ontleed. Daar word gefokus op die liggaam-gees-dualiteit van die teenoor mekaar geplaasde gespierde liggaam van die Herkules-figuur en die man wat van sy blindheid genees is. Met hierdie jukstaponering van anatomies kontrasterende figure het El Greco die tweespalt tussen klassieke en Christelike kuns gedemonstreer. Sodoende het hy sy persoonlike manier van figuurvoorstelling ingelui, waarvolgens liggame verleng en gedematerialiseer is ten einde, ooreenkomstig die Neoplatoonse [Neo-platoniese] idee, ekspressiewe uitdrukking aan hulle nie-aardse, geestelike bestemming te gee.