The Fable

Artist	El Greco
Year	1580
Medium	oil on canvas
Location	Museo del Prado, Madrid

The Fable (Spanish - La Fábula) is a 1580 allegorical painting by El Greco, produced early in his Toledan period and now in the Museo del Prado in Madrid.^[1]

The light effects and use of colour show the influence of Jacopo Bassano, which the painter had picked up in Italy. It shows a monkey and a rogue flanking a boy blowing on an ember or taper. The central figure was a frequent theme for the artist (he had painted it a few years earlier as El Soplón for example), drawn from a story in Pliny the Elder's Naturalis Historia.

The painting is probably a moralising warning about the consequences of lust, the ember bursting into flame symbolising sexual arousal, and the monkey and the buffoon the ever-present twin dangers of vice and folly.^[2]

See also

Bibliography (in Spanish)

References

^ "Fable". Prado Museum. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
^ "An Allegory (Fabula)". National Galleries Scotland. Retrieved 24 July 2020.

v t e El Greco
List of works Artistic overview Posthumous fame
Paintings	Adoration of the Magi (c. 1565–1567) Dormition of the Virgin (1565–1566) Healing of the Man Born Blind Dresden, 1567 Parma, c. 1573 Modena Triptych (1567–1569) Baptism of Christ (1567–1569) Last Supper (1568) Flight into Egypt (1570) Annunciation Prado, 1570 Madrid, 1575–1576 Illescas, 1600–1605 Purification of the Temple Washington, 1570 Minneapolis, 1570 New York, 1595–1600 London, 1600 Madrid, 1609 The Fable (1570–1575) Entombment of Christ (1570–1576) El Soplón (1571–1572) Pietà (1571–1576) Penitent Magdalene (1576–1578) Saint Sebastian (1576–1579) Santo Domingo el Antiguo Altarpiece (1577) Saint Lawrence's Vision of the Madonna and Child (1577) Adoration of the Holy Name of Jesus (1577–1579) Assumption of the Virgin (1577–1579) Disrobing of Christ (El Expolio) (1577–1579) Holy Trinity (c. 1577–1579) Saint Anthony of Padua (1580) Christ Carrying the Cross New York, c. 1580 Barcelona, 1590–1595 Madrid, 1597–1600 The Martyrdom of Saint Maurice (1580–1582) The Tears of Saint Peter Barnard Castle, 1580–1589 Mexico City, 1587–1596 Oslo, c. 1590 The Immaculate Conception with St John the Evangelist (c. 1585) The Burial of the Count of Orgaz (1586) Holy Family (1586–1588) Holy Face of Jesus (1586–1595) Saint Peter and Saint Paul Barcelona, 1587–1592 Saint Petersburg, c. 1587–1592 Agony in the Garden London, 1590 Andújar, 1597–1607 Christ on the Cross Adored by Two Donors (c. 1590) The Penitent Saint Peter (c. 1590–1595) Saint Louis (1592–1595) Virgin Mary (Mater Dolorosa) (c. 1594–1604) Holy Family (c. 1595) Christ Taking Leave of his Mother (1595) Saint Andrew and Saint Francis (1595–1598) Adoration of the Shepherds Bucharest, 1596 Madrid, 1612–1614 Doña María de Aragón Altarpiece (1596–1599) View of Toledo (1596–1600) Virgin Mary (1597) Saint Martin and the Beggar (1597–1599) The Virgin of Charity (1597–1603) Allegory of the Camaldolese Order (c. 1597) Saint John the Baptist (1597–1607) Saint John the Evangelist and Saint Francis (c. 1600) Saint Bernardino of Siena (1603) Nativity (1603–1605) Coronation of the Virgin (1603–1605) Marriage of the Virgin (1603–1607) Saint John the Evangelist (c. 1605) The Apparition of the Virgin to St. Hyacinth (c. 1605–1610) The Immaculate Conception (1607–1613) Saint Peter (1608) View and Plan of Toledo (1608) Concert of Angels (1608) The Saviour (1608–1614) Saint Thomas the Apostle (1608–1614) Opening of the Fifth Seal (1608–1614) Saint Jerome (1609) Saint Ildefonsus (1609) Saint Francis and Brother Leo (1609) Saint James the Great (1610) Saint Luke (1610–1614) Laocoön (1610–1614) Saint Paul (1610–1614) Saint Sebastian (1610–1614) Julián Romero and Saint Julian (1612–1614)
Portraits	Portrait of Giulio Clovio (c. 1571) Portrait of Vincenzo Anastagi (1571–1576) The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest (c. 1580) Portrait of a Doctor (1582–1585) Portrait of a Gentleman (c. 1586) Portrait of Rodrigo Vázquez de Arce (c. 1587–1597; lost, known from a copy) Portrait of an Elderly Man (1587–1600) Portrait of Antonio de Covarrubias (1595–1600) Self-Portrait (1595–1600) Portrait of Jorge Manuel Theotocópuli (c. 1597–1603) Portrait of a Young Nobleman (1600–1605) Cardinal Fernando Niño de Guevara (c. 1600) Portrait of an Unknown Gentleman (1603–1607) Portrait of Fray Hortensio Félix Paravacino (1609) Portrait of Juan Pardo de Tavera (1609) Portrait of Jerónimo de Cevallos (1609–1613) Portrait of Francisco de Pisa (1610–1614)
Museums	El Greco Museum, Toledo Museum of El Greco, Crete
Related	Jorge Manuel Theotocópuli (son) Lady in Ermine (1947 film) El Greco (1966 film) El Greco (1998 album) El Greco (2007 film) El Greco fallacy

Museo del Prado

Buildings
Villanueva building Casón del Buen Retiro Hall of Realms Cloister of Saint Jerome

Paintings

Spanish	Esquivel: José de Espronceda Gisbert: Execution of Torrijos and his Companions on the Beach at Málaga Goya: Allegory of Industry – Asmodea – Atropos – Blind Man's Bluff – Boys playing soldiers – Charles IV of Spain and His Family – Los caprichos – Christ Crucified – The Clothed Maja – The Colossus – The Countess of Chinchon – Los disparates – The Dog – The Drunk Mason – The Duchess of Alba and la Beata – Fight with Cudgels – Judith and Holofernes – La Leocadia – Man Mocked by Two Women – Portrait of the Marchioness of Santa Cruz – Men Reading – The Milkmaid of Bordeaux – The Naked Maja – The Parasol – A Pilgrimage to San Isidro – Pilgrimage to the Fountain of San Isidro – Saturn Devouring His Son – The Second of May 1808 – Self-portrait at 69 years – Summer – The Third of May 1808 – Two Old Men – Two Old Ones Eating Soup – The Victorious Hannibal Seeing Italy from the Alps for the First Time – Witches' Flight – Witches' Sabbath (The Great He-Goat) El Greco: The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest – Adoration of the Shepherds – Doña María de Aragón Altarpiece – Annunciation – Christ Carrying the Cross – The Fable – The Flight into Egypt – Holy Face of Jesus – Holy Trinity – Julián Romero and Saint Julian – Portrait of a Doctor – Portrait of a Gentleman – Portrait of a Young Nobleman – Portrait of an Elderly Man – Portrait of an Unknown Gentleman – Portrait of Jerónimo de Cevallos – Portrait of Rodrigo Vázquez de Arce – Saint Andrew and Saint Francis – Saint Anthony of Padua – Saint Bernardino of Siena ^[1] – Saint James the Great – Saint John the Evangelist – Saint Paul – Saint Sebastian – Saint Thomas the Apostle – Holy Trinity – The Saviour – Virgin Mary Luna: The Death of Cleopatra Maíno: Adoration of the Magi – Portrait of a Gentleman – The Recovery of Bahía de Todos los Santos Murillo: Adoration of the Shepherds (1650) – Aranjuez Immaculate Conception – The Christ Child and the Infant John the Baptist with a Shell – Christ on the Cross (1675, 1677) – The Conversion of Saint Paul – The Good Shepherd – The Holy Family with a Little Bird – The Immaculate Conception of El Escorial – The Immaculate Conception of Los Venerables – The Martyrdom of Saint Andrew – Our Lady of the Rosary – The Patrician's Dream – Rebecca and Eleazar Pradilla: Doña Joanna the Mad Ribera: Jacob's Dream – Democritus – Isaac and Jacob – Ixion – Tityos – The Martyrdom of Saint Philip – The Blind Sculptor Sánchez Gallque: The Mulattos of Esmeraldas ^[2] Velázquez: Las Meninas – The Triumph of Bacchus – Las Hilanderas – The Surrender of Breda – Mars Resting – Equestrian Portrait of Philip IV – Equestrian Portrait of Elisabeth of France – Equestrian Portrait of Prince Balthasar Charles – Equestrian Portrait of Philip III – Equestrian Portrait of Margarita of Austria – Equestrian Portrait of the Count-Duke of Olivares – Adoration of the Magi – Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan – Christ Crucified – Coronation of the Virgin – View of the Garden of the Villa Medici – Prince Balthasar Charles as a Hunter – Portrait of the Infante Don Carlos – Doña Antonia de Ipeñarrieta y Galdós and Her Son Don Luis – The Jester Barbarroja – The Jester Calabacillas – The Jester Don Diego de Acedo – The Jester Don John of Austria – Portrait of Francisco Lezcano – Infanta Margarita Teresa in a Pink Dress – Portrait of Maria Anna – Portrait of Juan Martínez Montañés – The Nun Jerónima de la Fuente – Portrait of Pablo de Valladolid – Portrait of Philip IV in Armour – Portrait of Mariana of Austria – Portrait of Sebastián de Morra Zurbarán: Agnus Dei – The Death of Hercules – The Defence of Cádiz Against the English – Hercules and the Hydra – Hercules Separates Mounts Calpe and Abylla – Hercules Fighting the Nemean Lion – Saint Elizabeth of Portugal – Saint Luke Painting the Crucifixion – Saint Peter Nolasco's Vision of Saint Peter the Apostle – Still Life with Pots – The Vision of Saint Peter Nolasco
Dutch, Flemish, German	Anonymous: The Fountain of Life Baldung: The Three Ages of Man and Death Bosch: The Garden of Earthly Delights – Adoration of the Magi – Cutting the Stone – The Haywain Triptych – Head of a Halberdier – Paradise and Hell – The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things – The Temptation of St Anthony Bouts: Triptych of the Virgin's Life Bruegel the Elder: The Triumph of Death – The Wine of Saint Martin's Day – Excursion in the Countryside of Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia – Life in the Countryside – The Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia in the Mariemont Park (with de Momper) – Landscape (with de Momper) – The Five Senses (with Rubens) Campin: Marriage of the Virgin – Werl Triptych de Crayer: Caritas Romana (1625) David: Rest on the Flight into Egypt Dürer: Adam and Eve – Self-Portrait van Dyck: Self-portrait with Sir Endymion Porter – The Betrayal of Christ – The Brazen Serpent – Diana and a Nymph Surprised by a Satyr – Saint Rosalia – The Crowning with Thorns van Hemessen: The Surgeon Francken the Younger: The Sciences and the Arts Jordaens: Apollo as Victor over Pan – Meleager and Atalanta – The Painter's Family Memling: Adoration of the Magi Mengs: Portrait of José Nicolás de Azara de Momper: Landscape with Sea and Mountains – A Farm – Flemish Market and Washing Place – Landscape with Skaters – The Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia in the Mariemont Park (with Brueghel the Elder) – Landscape (with Brueghel the Elder) Patinir: Landscape with Charon Crossing the Styx Rembrandt: Judith at the Banquet of Holofernes Rubens: The Judgement of Paris (1638) – The Three Graces – Adoration of the Magi – The Dance of the Villagers – Diana and Callisto – Equestrian Portrait of the Duke of Lerma – The Fall of Man – The Garden of Love – The Birth of the Milky Way – The Rape of Europa – The Rape of Ganymede – Saint George and the Dragon – Saturn – The Triumph of the Church – Deucalion and Pyrrha – The Five Senses (with Brueghel the Elder) Stom: The Incredulity of Saint Thomas Strobel: Feast of Herod with the Beheading of St John the Baptist Teniers the Younger: Archduke Leopold Wilhelm in his Painting Gallery in Brussels (1651) Verhaecht: Alpine Landscape van der Weyden: The Descent from the Cross – Durán Madonna
Italian	Fra Angelico: Annunciation Anguissola: Portrait of Elisabeth of Valois – Portrait of Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia ^[3] – Portrait of Giovanni Battista Caselli Barocci: Nativity Bellini: Madonna and Child with Saint Mary Magdalene and Saint Ursula Botticelli: The Story of Nastagio Degli Onesti, part one Caravaggio: David and Goliath Carracci: Assumption of the Virgin – Mural Paintings from the Herrera Chapel – Venus, Adonis and Cupid Correggio: Noli me tangere – Madonna and Child with the Infant John the Baptist A. Gentileschi: The Birth of Saint John the Baptist O. Gentileschi: The Finding of Moses (1633) Leonardo: Mona Lisa (by his studio) Lotto: Portrait of Marsilio Cassotti and His Bride Faustina Mantegna: Death of the Virgin Parmigianino: Holy Family with Angels – Portrait of Camilla Gonzaga and Her Three Sons – Portrait of Pier Maria Rossi di San Secondo – Saint Barbara Raphael: Portrait of a Cardinal – Christ Falling on the Way to Calvary – Madonna of the Rose – Visitation – La Perla (with Romano) Romano: Holy Family under an Oak Tree Andrea del Sarto: Sacrifice of Isaac Tintoretto: Christ Washing the Disciples' Feet – Joseph and Potiphar's Wife – Judith and Holofernes (by his studio) – The Washing of the Feet Tiepolo: The Immaculate Conception Titian: The Bacchanal of the Andrians – Equestrian Portrait of Charles V – The Fall of Man – Alfonso d'Avalos Addressing his Troops – Danaë Receiving the Golden Rain (1565) – The Entombment – La Gloria – Madonna and Child with St Anthony of Padua and St Roch – Mater Dolorosa – Philip II in Armour – Portrait of Charles V with a Dog – Portrait of Federico II Gonzaga – Portrait of Isabella of Portugal – Sisyphus – Tityus – Religion saved by Spain – Self-Portrait (1567) – St Margaret and the Dragon – Venus and Adonis (1554) – Venus and Musician (1550, 1555) – The Virgin and Child with Saint George and Saint Dorothy – The Worship of Venus Veronese: Venus and Adonis – Christ Among the Doctors – The Finding of Moses
French	Anonymous: Agony in the Garden Baudry: The Pearl and the Wave van Loo: The Family of Philip V (1743) Lorrain: Landscape with St Paula of Rome Embarking at Ostia – The Ford – Landscape with St María de Cervelló – Landscape with the Burial of St Serapia – Landscape with the Finding of Moses – Landscape with the Temptation of St Anthony – Landscape with Tobias and Raphael Poussin: Parnassus – Landscape with Three Figures – Saint Cecilia Ranc: The Family of Philip V (1723) – Portrait of Ferdinand VI as a Boy Watteau: Marriage Contract and Country Dancing Vouet: Time Defeated by Love, Beauty and Hope
Other	British paintings

Sculptures

Rome	The Apotheosis of Claudius Castor and Pollux

^[1] On display at El Greco Museum in Toledo
^[2] On display at Museo de América in Madrid
^[3] On display at the Spanish Embassy in Paris

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