This year –2014– Spain marks the fourth centenary of El Greco's death with a wide-ranging programme of exhibitions and cultural activities to highlight the painting and the person of Doménikos Theotokópoulos. Toledo, the city where El Greco spent 37 years of his life, will be at the heart of this major event.

The Disrobing of Christ, otherwise known as El Espolio, was commissioned for the High Altar of the sacristy of the Cathedral of Toledo, in which it still resides today. El Greco secured the commission due to his friendship with Luis, the son of the Dean of the Cathedral, Diego de Castilla, who also commissioned his other great religious work, the paintings for the church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo, in Toledo. El Greco worked on both paintings simultaneously. Upon delivery, the church officials did not agree with some of the elements of the painting, including the addition of the three Marys in the foreground and that fact that Christ’s executioners are above him in the composition. This led to a legal dispute over the price of the painting, for which El Greco only received 350 out of the 950 ducats he was promised.