Painting
In wall paintings and portable icons, ecclesiastical art on Crete preserved the Byzantine tradition unbroken. At least 25 artists are known to have been active in 14th century Chandax, the greater part of their work involving church mural painting. Renaissance influence manifested itself from the 15th century onwards, gradually leading to the emergence of the "Cretan School" of icon painting headed by Michail Damaskinos and Georgios Klontzas. The number of artists increased dramatically over the following centuries, and those in Chandax were organized members of a large, powerful guild. It was in this creative milieu that Domenicos Theotocopoulos (El Greco), the leading figure in the period, spent his youth.
???, 1566 (Marie Constantoudaki), 1566 (Marie Constantoudaki)
"The landscape of God-trodden Mount Sinai", 1570 (Domenicos Theotocopoulos, Historical Museum of Crete, © S.C.H.S, Heraklion)
Detail from Noli me tangere, 16th century (Michail Damaskinos, St. Catherine¢s Museum, St. Catherine of the Sinaites, Heraklion)
Detail from The Adoration of the Magi, probably by M. Damaskinos, 16th century (St. Catherine¢s Museum, St. Catherine of the Sinaites, Heraklion)
Georgios Klontzas (1540-1608)
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