Philip II of Spain

The king of Spain is shown here (kneeling in black) with his allies at the battle of Lepanto, the doge of Venice on his left and Pope Pius V on his right. El Greco painted this canvas, sometimes called The Dream of Philip II, in 1578 or 1579. The painting is typically mannerist in the way it crowds figures into every available space, uses larger-than-life or elongated bodies, and creates new and often bizarre visual effects. What can we conclude about Philip II’s character from the way he is depicted here? (El Escorial Monasterio, Spain / De Agostini Picture Library / Bridgeman Images.)