Visionary artist El Greco—born Domenikos Theotokopoulos—was three centuries ahead of his time. A Greek who lived in Toledo, Spain, El Greco (1541 – 1614) exaggerated the Mannerist style of replacing realistic portrayals of the world with personal interpretations. A painter of mesmerizing religious and mystical works filled with chilly colors and flamelike figures, El Greco only utilized light for emotional impact. He also created compelling portraits, and Europe’s first true landscapes. El Greco strongly influenced 20th-century Modernists including Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock.