 In Rome, El Greco had earned the respect of some intellectuals, but was also facing the hostility of certain art critics.During the 1570s the huge monastery-palace of El Escorial was still under construction and Philip II of Spain was experiencing difficulties in finding good artists for the many large paintings required to decorate it.Titian was dead, and Tintoretto, Veronese and Anthonis Mor all refused to come to Spain.