Don Luis Silva recounts being immortalized in the famous painting "El Caballero de la Mano en el Pecho" ("The Gentleman with His Hand on His Chest") by the artist El Greco. One night, El Greco entered Don Luis's house insisting that he needed to paint Don Luis's portrait. Don Luis reluctantly agreed after being paid 50 ducats. He posed for El Greco with his hand on his chest. The painting became very famous and Don Luis's pose was preserved for all time.

1. Dear __________,
Hello. I am the Don Luis Silva. Maybe you will recognize me because of the picture of El Greco:
“El caballero de la mano en el pecho”. I would like to tell you about how I was immortalized in
the picture.
It was a cold night. I was sleeping when something wake me up. I went to the kitchen. I
opened the fridge and I saw (person) inside it. It was not interesting. When I went to the living
room, I saw a man that seemed to be foreign. I remember that he was famous in Toledo, but I
forgot his name. He was wearing a (cloth). That was weird.
-Who are you and what are you doing in my house?
-Don Juan de Silva? Is it you? I was searching you! –said the visitor
-What? How do you know me? Why were you searching me? –I answered
-I need you for painting something. I need you. You are so special. I have to paint you. I need
your pose, your Spanish appearance.
-First of all, who are you?
-I am called Doménikos Theotokópoulos, but you can call me El Greco. I am a painter, sculptor
and architect. I like (activity) too. I saw you in the market one day. I decided that I wanted to
paint you. I have researched information about you and I have entered your house to ask you
this little favor.
-Have you realized that it´s 2 a.m.?
-Yes, of course.
-Okay… Let´s have something while we discuss this.
-I will take something from the fridge… Why is (person) inside the fridge?
-It´s a long story.
We drank cold milk while we talked about the picture.
-I have all the necessary for painting you out. I also have (food). If you are hungry, you can
take it.
- (food)? Are you serious?
-I´m not a weirdo. So, are you going to accept my work?
-If I accept, what am I going to earn?
-50 ducats and a (doll) from my son.
-Ok, I will accept the work. But I will only take the 50 ducats.

2. -Yes! I will go out for the stuff and the (food). You will wear your best suit now. And take your
sword too.
I went upstairs to get the suit and the sword. That was really strange. That man was a little
weird. When I went downstairs, El Greco was already there, and he was accompanied with a
(adjective) boy. He was called (name) and he was carrying the painting stuff.
I adopted my pose for the painting. But when El Greco was going to start painting, he said me:
-Can you promise me that you are going to accept my work?
-Yes, of course- and I put my hand in my chest.
-Wait! That position is the best! Stay like that, please! I love it! Please don´t move!
I was surprised, but I stayed in that position. During the next 3 hours, we worked hard in
finishing the painting. When he finished, he paid me the 50 ducats and he went out of my
house with (name). I have never seen him again. The next thing I saw was his painting, that he
called “El Caballero de la Mano en el Pecho”
I didn´t know why, but I had the feeling that “El Caballero” would be very famous.
And that´s my story. I would never forget that night. It was something special.
Yours faithfully,