1541-1567
Doménikos Theotokopoulos was most likely born in 1541 in Chandakas, now known as Heraklion in Crete, during the Venetian rule. Theotokopoulos was trained as an icon painter, which is evidenced by a public document from 1563. He likely studied ancient Greek and classical literature from a young age, as indicated by the rich library he left to his son after his death.
Theotokopoulos was familiarized early with works of Renaissance artists that circulated in Venetian-ruled Crete, and from 1563, he officially practiced as a painter.
Given that both Orthodox and Catholic Christians coexisted in Crete during his time, it remains controversial which of these faiths his family belonged to. It is more likely that they were Orthodox, a hypothesis supported by studies of archival and legal documents. According to these documents, one of his uncles was an Orthodox priest, and Doménikos Theotokopoulos' name is not recorded in the baptismal records of the Catholic Church in Crete.
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