The artwork titled “Allegory, boy lighting candle in the company of an ape and a fool – Fábula” was created by the artist El Greco around the year 1590 in Spain. This oil on canvas painting exemplifies the Mannerism movement, a phase of the Late Renaissance, and it falls into the genre of allegorical painting. Measuring 67 x 89 cm, the artwork currently resides in the Scottish National Gallery located in Edinburgh, UK.
Delving into the artwork, it offers a captivating visual narrative with a central theme of an allegory. At the forefront, we observe a boy in the process of lighting a candle, which is a common symbol for knowledge, wisdom, and enlightenment in art. The boy is flanked by two figures: an ape on one side and a fool on the other. The presence of the ape, often a symbol of sin or folly in art, adds to the allegorical significance, suggesting a commentary on human behavior or perhaps the fine line between wisdom and folly. Meanwhile, the fool, depicted with a gleeful expression and donning a red cap, epitomizes ignorance or foolishness, reinforcing the thematic contrast between enlightenment and unknowing.
El Greco’s distinct Mannerist style is evident in the use of dramatic lighting, which casts sharp contrasts of light and shadow across the subjects, as well as in his elongated depiction of the figures. The complex interplay of characters within the artwork invites contemplation on the nature of wisdom, the human condition, and the choices that lead one towards or away from enlightenment. The painting thus stands as an intriguing example of El Greco’s mastery in melding visual artistry with layered symbolic meanings.
