''Saint Louis'' is a 1592–1595 painting by
El Greco, painted during his time in
Toledo. It is now in the
Louvre
The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...
in Paris.
It shows
Louis IX of France wearing 16th-century armour and a crown and holding his family symbol of a
fleur de lys
The fleur-de-lis, also spelled fleur-de-lys (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a lily (in French, and mean 'flower' and 'lily' respectively) that is used as a decorative design or symbol.
The fleur-de-lis has been used in the ...
and the traditional sceptre of the kings of France.
Gregorio Marañon and
Manuel Bartolomé Cossío
Manuel Bartolomé Cossío (22 February 1857 – 2 September 1935) was a Spanish art historian and Krausist teacher. Born in Haro, La Rioja, he entered the Institución Libre de Enseñanza, where he was the godson and favourite pupil of Francisco ...
argue the model was a patient at the
Hospital del Nuncio or an old print.
Louis was the grandson of
Alfonso VIII of Castile, meaning that in the late 16th century, he was revered in both France and Spain, particularly since no Spanish king was canonised until
Ferdinand III of Castile
Ferdinand III ( es, Fernando, link=no; 1199/120130 May 1252), called the Saint (''el Santo''), was King of Castile from 1217 and King of León from 1230 as well as King of Galicia from 1231. He was the son of Alfonso IX of León and Berenguel ...
received the honour in 1671. The work was commissioned by Luis de Castilla, the painter's friend and future executor – the saint was also Luis' name saint. For a period the work was in the collection of the
château de Chenonceau, before being acquired by its present owner in 1903. A recent restoration has revealed a cityscape in the background, showing Toledo.
See also
*
List of works by El Greco
El Greco was a Crete, Cretan-born Painting, painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. El Greco left his birthplace for Venice in 1567, never to return. El Greco's three years in Venice profoundly influenced his style. In 1577, he ...
Bibliography
* ÁLVAREZ LOPERA, José, ''El Greco'', Madrid, Arlanza, 2005, Biblioteca «Descubrir el Arte», (colección «Grandes maestros»). .
* SCHOLZ-HÄNSEL, Michael, ''El Greco'', Colonia, Taschen, 2003. .
External links
* ArteHistoria.com
«San Luis Rey de Francia»
*
{{Authority control
category:1590s paintings
category:Paintings by El Greco in the Louvre