Laokoon

Laocoön

c. 1610/1614 · Painting

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National Gallery of Art

Washington, D.C., USA

Sal28 · Vestbygningen, hovedetagen

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Kontrolleret: for 3 dage siden
Uændret siden: 19. aug. 2026
Kilde: Museets egne samlingsdata

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About the painting

The Laocoön is an oil painting created between 1610 and 1614 by Greek painter El Greco. It is part of a collection at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

The painting depicts the Greek and Roman mythological story of the deaths of Laocoön, a Trojan priest of Poseidon, and his two sons Antiphantes and Thymbraeus. Laocoön and his sons were strangled by sea serpents, a punishment sent by the gods after Laocoön attempted to warn his countrymen about the Trojan horse. Although inspired by the recently discovered monumental Hellenistic sculpture Laocoön and His Sons in Rome, Laocoön is a product of Mannerism, an artistic movement originating in Italy during the 16th century that countered the artistic ideals of the Renaissance. El Greco's painting deliberately breaks away from the balance and harmony of Renaissance art with its strong emotional atmosphere and distorted figures.

Wikipedia CC BY-SA

Oplysninger

Inventarnummer: 1946.18.1

What it shows

Adam and Eve Classical Laocoon

I kataloget

Barokken Spanish Mytologisk maleri

Kilder

National Gallery of Art: the museum's own open data · hentet for 3 dage siden
Billede: National Gallery of Art — Museum open access

Imens i livet hos El Greco

Hele livet

1607–1608
The lawsuit with the hospital at Illescas
In 1607–08 El Greco was involved in a protracted legal dispute with the Hospital of Charity at Illescas over payment for his work, which included painting, sculpture and architecture. This and other disputes contributed to the economic difficulties of his last years.
1608
His last major commission: the Hospital of Saint John the Baptist
In 1608 El Greco received his last major commission, for the Hospital of Saint John the Baptist in Toledo.
1611
A visit from Francisco Pacheco
The painter and theorist Francisco Pacheco, who visited El Greco in 1611, condemned his idea of the primacy of colour over form and his broad-brush manner, yet called the master “a writer of painting, sculpture and architecture”.
c. March 1614
Serious illness while working for the Hospital de Tavera
While carrying out a commission for the Hospital de Tavera El Greco fell seriously ill and died a month later, on 7 April 1614.
31 March 1614
His will, a week before his death
On 31 March 1614, a week before his death, El Greco directed that his son should have the power to make his will; two Greek friends witnessed it. In the will he described himself as a “devout Catholic”, although archival research indicates that his family was Greek Orthodox.
7. april 1614
Died