The Adoration of the Name of Jesus

This picture may have been made as a record of a larger work by El Greco in the Escorial, which he probably painted for Philip II, King of Spain. The letters 'IHS' - which stand for IHSOUS, the Greek spelling of 'Jesus' - are its main focus.

The figures in the left-hand corner are the members of the so-called Holy League, which was established, in the words of Phillip II, 'to defend the holy name' of Christ. They include the Doge (elected head) of Venice, Pope Pius V and Philip himself. The painting celebrates their victory against the Islamic Ottoman Empire in a naval battle at Lepanto, in south-western Greece, in 1571.

El Greco turned the scene into an epic vision of humanity's judgement and the promise of salvation. To the right the mouth of hell swallows its victims, while other souls are led over a bridge to purgatory, where they will await entry to heaven.

Credit: Bought, 1955