Portrait of Fernando Niño de Guevara facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Portrait of Fernando Niño de Guevara
Year	1600
Location	Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Portrait of Fernando Niño de Guevara is a famous painting from 1600. It shows Fernando Niño de Guevara, who was an important church leader called a cardinal. The artist was El Greco. Today, you can see this painting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Who Commissioned the Painting?

This painting was likely ordered by someone close to Cardinal Guevara. In Spain during this time, it was not common for people to order their own portraits unless they were part of the royal court.

Pedro Lasso's Role

Art experts like Walter Liedtke think that the cardinal's nephew, Pedro Lasso, asked El Greco to paint it. Pedro Lasso was also known as Conde de Los Arcos. He was a big supporter of El Greco's art. Pedro Lasso was an important person in the Spanish court. He was one of the few noble friends of El Greco. When Pedro Lasso died, he owned many of El Greco's paintings. It is thought he had seven or eight of them. We don't know for sure if this portrait of Cardinal Guevara was one of them.

When Was It Painted?

The painting was probably started in the spring of 1600. This was when Cardinal Guevara visited Toledo for a few weeks.

Cardinal Guevara's Journey

Katharine Baetjer, another art expert, notes that Guevara became a cardinal in 1596. After that, he traveled to Rome. In 1599, he got a new important job. He became the Inquisitor General of Spain. This meant he was a very powerful judge in the church. He then made a trip to Toledo. It is possible that during this visit, his nephew Pedro Lasso suggested El Greco to him.

Why Pedro Lasso?

Cardinal Guevara had other family members. But his sisters were in convents. His brother, Rodrigo, lived mostly in the Spanish Netherlands. He probably wasn't in Spain often enough. So, he might not have known how popular El Greco's art was. This makes Pedro Lasso the most likely person to have ordered the portrait.

Why Was the Portrait Important?

This painting might have been a way to show family pride. Walter Liedtke also points out that Pedro Lasso collected many artworks. These included portraits of his family members. He also had portraits of important public figures. This included famous church leaders and Spanish royalty.

A Public Statement

Pedro Lasso might have used this portrait of his uncle as a "public gesture." He might have put it in his home or a family chapel. He could have also placed it in a church he supported. If the portrait was in a public place, it would do two things. First, it would show that the family had an important church leader as a relative. Second, it would show that a well-known artist painted it. By this time, El Greco had even painted for King Philip II. This would make the family look even more important.

The Painting in Fiction

This famous painting has appeared in books and movies.

• In 1936, the German novel El Greco malt den Großinquisitor by Stefan Andres featured a fictional story about the painting.
• The 1947 film Lady in Ermine shows a character who looks like the inquisitor. He sits for his portrait in the movie.
• The 2007 film El Greco also includes a made-up scene. In this scene, the cardinal (played by Juan Diego Botto) tries El Greco before the Inquisition.

See also

In Spanish: Retrato del cardenal Fernando Niño de Guevara para niños

• List of works by El Greco