El Greco was a renowned Greek painter born in 1541 who lived and worked primarily in Spain. He was born in Crete and received training in the Byzantine iconographic tradition before moving to Italy and being influenced by artists like Titian and Tintoretto in Venice. He later traveled to Rome where he continued his studies before settling permanently in Toledo, Spain in 1577. El Greco's distinctive style blended elements of Eastern Orthodoxy, Renaissance art, and Spanish Catholicism. He is renowned for his masterful portraits and religious works that exhibit elongated figures, vivid colors, and mystical spirituality. El Greco had a profound influence on later art movements up until the present day.