Born on Crete, El Greco (Domínikos Theotokópoulos) settled in Toledo in 1577 after having lived several years in Italy. This painting from ca. 1580 is one of El Greco's first works to be painted in Spain. Although the depiction of the crucified Christ is heavily influenced by the Italian Mannerism style, the two sponsors are portrayed very accurately.
Domínikos Theotokópoulos, known as El Greco (1541–1614), Cristo en la Cruz, oil on canvas, ca. 1580; source: © Bildagentur für Kunst, Kultur und Geschichte (bpk) /RMN/Gérard Blot, Bildnummer: 00057398, location of the original: Musée du Louvre, Paris.