Commemorating the 400th anniversary of El Greco’s birth, an exhibition of some of his most famous paintings opened at Knoedler Gallery in New York City on January 17, 1941 with admission proceeds benefiting the Greek War Relief Association.
Inaugurated by Archbishop Athenagoras, the exhibition included numerous paintings that had never been displayed in the United States and attracted top tier guests such as First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
Copies of the vintage catalogue from the exhibition are available for sale from various re-sellers.
The Greek War Relief Association began no less than 10 days after the October 1940 Italian invasion of Greece. Launched by railroad magnate Harold Vanderbilt and film industry executive Spyros Skouras, the effort aimed to provide food and other forms of aid to the ailing Greek people.
Businessmen, community leaders, politicians, students and the Motion Picture Industry all played a major role in what would become one of the largest, most unified fundraising campaigns in American history.
