How does The Burial of the Count of Orgaz separate heaven from earth?

In his masterpiece, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, El Greco creates a clear visual and stylistic distinction between the celestial and terrestrial realms.12

The painting is divided into two distinct parts:

• Heaven (Above): This realm is characterized by swirling, icy, and semi-abstract clouds. The figures of the saints are depicted as tall and phantomlike, emphasizing their supernatural nature.2
• Earth (Below): In contrast, the lower portion of the painting maintains a sense of normalcy, featuring figures rendered with standard scale and proportions. This section depicts the funeral of the Count, attended by contemporary 16th-century nobles of Toledo.12

As the pallid corpse is lowered into the tomb, the soul of the Count is shown ascending toward the lap of Christ at the threshold of heaven, bridging the two worlds.1