The work represents the spanish prelate san ildefonso of toledo (607-667), who was archbishop of toledo and was brother of the archbishop san isidoro of seville. Within the sanctuary of our lady of charity of illescas, one of the painter's great masterpieces is also preserved, the canvas of san ildefonso. It is likely that this painting was not within the contract of 1603, but was earlier, since no mention is made of it in the documents. What does seem quite clear is that this canvas was designed to be in the place it occupies today. The scene represented here serves el greco to emphasize the figure of the saint, patron of the city of toledo and a character quite magnified at this time by artists. Furthermore, he tries to relate the theme of the painting with the place where he is going to place it, since according to tradition, it was saint ildefonso who brought to the town of illescas the image of the virgin of charity, which he had in his cathedral oratory while he was archbishop of toledo. El greco shows the saint in a quite novel way, if until this moment the scene that was most represented from the life of san ildefonso was that of the imposition of the chasuble at the hands of the virgin, here el greco innovates by presenting the saint within a more intimate and intellectual scene: sitting in his oratory in the cathedral of toledo, in the attitude of writing, perhaps the treatises in defense of the virginity of mary that made him so famous, and seeking inspiration in an image of the virgin that he had in mind. Its oratory and which was probably the virgin of charity of illescas. Therefore, el greco places the image of the virgin of charity as the inspiration for the treaties of san ildefonso, supporting the counter-reformist discourse on the virginity of mary. In this painting the painter brings the scene up to its time by placing the character in a typical 16th century setting. The capture of the red velvet on the table and the intimate light seen in the painting stand out with the use of very nuanced colors to accompany the atmosphere. Object Type: painting. Genre: religious art. Date: between 1603 and 1605. Dimensions: height: 187 cm (73.6 in); width: 102 cm (40.1 in). Medium: oil on canvas. Depicted People: Ildephonsus of Toledo. Collection: Capilla Mayor del Hospital de la Caridad de Illescas. GRECO San Ildefonso
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