DURHAM ó “El Greco to Velazquez: Art During the Reign of Phillip III” opens today at The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. The exhibit features 52 master paintings, including seven late works by El Greco (1541-1614), three early works by Diego Velazquez (1599-1660) and works by their contemporaries.
El Greco and Diego Velazquez have been the subject of exhibitions with record attendance in Washington, DC, Dallas, New York and Los Angeles.
The first exhibition in this country to focus on Spanish art of this particular time period, “El Greco to Velazquez” is a collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The exhibit will remain at the Nasher through Nov. 9.
The art includes monumental altar pieces, life-sized portraits, some of the earliest still-life paintings in Europe, carved and painted wooden sculptures of Spanish saints and more than 50 pieces of period glass and ceramics.
The exhibition is based on 20 years of research by Sarah Schroth, the Nancy Hanks Senior Curator at the Nasher Museum. It is co-curated by Ronnie Baer, the William and Ann Elfers Senior Curator of paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
“El Greco to Velazquez” is a ticketed exhibition with timed entry. Adults are $15, students and children $5. Members may enter free. Purchase tickets by calling 919-660-1701 or go online at www.nasher.duke.edu/elgreco.
Located at 2001 Campus Drive, the museum’s hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Closed Mondays.
For more information, call 919-684-0700.