
Opening of the Fifth Seal / The Vision of Saint John
Oil paint
Doménikos Theotokópoulos, more commonly known as El Greco, was one of a wave of artists and intellectuals who came westwards in the centuries after the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire. His evocative and personal style, which is theorised by some to be influenced by both Byzantine and Western tradition, was maligned after his death but is now considered ahead of his time. The Opening of the Fifth Seal is so named since it depicts the titular events of the Book of Revelation, though important parts of the narrative are omitted due to a botched restoration attempt.