The Ecstasy of St. Francis of Assisi

surface prep

The canvas should be primed with a ground suitable for oil painting. While El Greco’s specific ground recipe is not detailed in the sources, the general practice of the period involved preparing a surface that could support the layering of oils. The artist likely used a light-toned ground to facilitate the luminous quality of his glazes, consistent with Venetian traditions he adopted (Source 7, Source 6).

underdrawing

Sources do not provide specific details on El Greco’s underdrawing methods for this work. However, given his training in the Post-Byzantine tradition and his work in Venice and Rome, he likely employed a charcoal or chalk sketch to establish the elongated, dynamic forms characteristic of his style (Source 7).

underpainting

El Greco likely employed a grisaille or monochrome underpainting to establish values before applying color. This technique allows the artist to 'mentally extract' certain tones and focus on the structural integrity of the composition before introducing the complex color interactions (Source 2). This aligns with the general oil painting practice of building layers to achieve depth (Source 6).

Glazing

Applying transparent coats of color over a dry underpainting to achieve depth and luminosity, a method practiced by old masters (Source 2).

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint over a darker ground to create coldness or texture, contributing to the complex color interactions (Source 2).

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding that adjacent colors influence each other’s perception, requiring the artist to adjust tones to achieve the desired visual effect (Source 1).