Focus on this artwork and analyze the Background.
El Greco immersed himself in the Italian Renaissance during his stay in Venice and Rome, which allowed him to experiment with the opposing colore and disegno techniques for size. Afterwards, El Greco relocated to Toledo in 1577, and this move signified the beginning of his vital role in the Spanish Renaissance movement. He left behind a circle of like-minded individuals in Italy, mostly scholars and fellow artists, who shared the belief that a virtuoso, or a true artist, was one that surpassed basic craftsmanship into the realm of artistic imagination. However, this Italian mutual ideology and treatment of artists was not echoed in Toledo, Spain.In hopes of becoming a reputed and well-represented artist in Spain, El Greco aimed to be recognised by King Phillip II. Royal patronage would have ensured a secure transition to Spain, and could possibly have helped him to move to a metropolis like Madrid. However, following a string of legal disputes over what El Greco deemed inadequate pay for his work, the Cretan master failed to achieve King Phillip's approval.Consequently, El Greco remained in Toledo for the rest of his life, where he was well-received by his contemporaries. One such contemporary was the Spanish preacher and poet Hortensio Félix Paravicino, who remarked that, "Crete gave him life and the painter's craft, Toledo a better homeland, where through Death he began to achieve eternal life." Besides the appreciation shown towards El Greco by his contemporaries, he also found success in his artistic career; between the years of 1581 and 1585. As such, the demand for devotional works by El Greco's patrons escalated rapidly.  His customers were able to choose from a few samples, often smaller versions of his works, which he would then alter to suit their preferences.
El Greco later became the master of a workshop which dealt with the creation of architectural or framing devices for cathedrals. These years of 1597 - 1607 were a profitable decade for him and his workshop, yielding several commissions and outputs. Despite staying in Toledo, this granted El Greco significant projects which would elevate his artistic career and reputation to meet his ambitions.
El Greco Italian Renaissance King Phillip II Rome left Toledo, Spain Spanish Renaissance Venice Hortensio Félix Paravicino Toledo Madrid