| Saint Martin and the Beggar | |
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| Artist | El Greco |
| Year | 1597-1599 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Location | National Gallery of Art, Washington |
| Dimensions | 42 5/16 x 22 7/8 in 107.5 x 58 cm |
| Famous Paintings by El Greco | |
| The Disrobing of Christ, 1577–1579 | |
| Opening of the Fifth Seal, 1608-1614 | |
| Dormition of the Virgin, 1565-1566 | |
| The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, 1586 | |
| View of Toledo, 1596-1600 | |
| The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1612–14 | |
| Christ Healing the Blind, c. 1570 | |
| The Entombment of Christ, c.1570 | |
| St. Martin and the Beggar, 1597-1599 | |
| Complete Works |
St. Martin and the Beggar is a painting by the Greek-born, Spanish artist El Greco. It is part of the Widener Collection and is currently held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington.
The painting is done in oil on canvas and measures 42 5/16 by 22 7/8 inches. The exact date of the painting is not known, but it was made around 1598. The artist did the painting for St. Joseph’s Chapel in Toledo, Spain.
Style and Composition
The painting of the Late Renaissance style. The painting depicts St. Martin dressed in armor and mounted on a white horse. The horse is in a semi-prancing stance with its right front leg raised.
St. Martin has removed his cloak and is about to cut it with his sword and present it to a naked beggar, who has a bandage just above the ankle on the right leg. In the lower right corner, the background shows an impression of the part of the city of Toledo.