Laocoön (El Greco)
Painting by El Greco / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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..[1]
Laocoön | |
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Artist | El Greco |
Year | 1610–1614 |
Type | Oil painting |
Dimensions | 142 cm × 193 cm (56 in × 76 in) |
Location | National Gallery of Art, 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.[2] 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.[3] El Greco's painting deliberately breaks away from the balance and harmony of Renaissance art with its strong emotional atmosphere and distorted figures.