Plafond in Toledo

       Most tourists in Toledo go to the cathedral to see pictures by El Greco in the sacristy. Few people, however, look at the ceiling there. There is a painting on the ceiling, and quite an impressive one, too. El Greco, however, is famous, whereas the author of the painting on the ceiling is little known and most guide books never mention it. Who would look at the ceiling when standing in front of an original El Greco?

       I, however, think that the ceiling is very interesting. It shows the heavens open with God (shown there as a bright disc with Hebrew letters IHWH written on it) and a crowd of angels and saints singing probably hymns of praise. At the edge of the painting there are also some people unpleasantly surprised by the vision. This is an illusionist painting that is supposed to give an impression that there is no ceiling but the open heaven instead. During the baroque era in Catholic Europe this was quite popular theme, the best known example being probably the plafond of St Ignacio in Rome, but the Toledo example is certainly very good. Its author (as some guide books mention) is a Neapolitan painter Luca Giordano.