Cretan School describes an important school of
icon
An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The mos ...
painting, under the umbrella of post-Byzantine art, which flourished while
Crete
Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, ...
was under
Venetian
Venetian often means from or related to:
* Venice, a city in Italy
* Veneto, a region of Italy
* Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area
Venetian and the like may also refer to:
* Venetian language, a Romance language s ...
rule during the late
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
, reaching its climax after the
Fall of Constantinople
The Fall of Constantinople, also known as the Conquest of Constantinople, was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire by the Ottoman Empire. The city fell on 29 May 1453 as part of the culmination of a 53-day siege which had begun o ...
, becoming the central force in Greek painting during the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. The Cretan artists developed a particular style of painting under the influence of both Eastern and Western artistic traditions and movements; the most famous product of the school,
El Greco
Domḗnikos Theotokópoulos ( el, Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος ; 1 October 1541 7 April 1614), most widely known as El Greco ("The Greek"), was a Greek painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. "El ...
, was the most successful of the many artists who tried to build a career in Western Europe, and also the one who left the Byzantine style farthest behind him in his later career.
15th century
There was a substantial demand for Byzantine icons in Europe throughout the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
and, as a Venetian possession since 1204,
Crete
Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, ...
had a natural advantage and soon came to dominate the supply. A probable early example is the famous icon of the Virgin in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus ( legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
known as
Our Mother of Perpetual Help, which was certainly well known in Rome by 1499. At this date there is little to distinguish Cretan work from other Byzantine icons stylistically, and the quality of work is lower than that associated with
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
.
This period also saw considerable numbers of wall-paintings in local churches and monasteries - altogether some 850 from the 14th and 15th centuries survive in Crete, far more than from earlier or later periods.
By the late 15th century, Cretan artists had established a distinct icon-painting style, distinguished by "the precise outlines, the modelling of the flesh with dark brown underpaint and dense tiny highlights on the cheeks of the faces, the bright colours in the garments, the geometrical treatment of the drapery, and, finally the balanced articulation of the composition", or "sharp contours, slim silhouettes, linear draperies and restrained movements". The most famous artist of the period was
Andreas Ritzos
(c. 1421–1492), whose son Nicholas was also well known. Angelos Akotantos, until recently thought to be a conservative painter of the 17th century, is now, after the discovery of a will dated 1436, seen to have been an innovative artist in fusing Byzantine and Western styles, who survived until about 1457, when the will was actually registered. The will was made in anticipation of a voyage to Constantinople; several icons were bequeathed to church institutions, some Catholic but mainly Orthodox, and the disposition of his stock of pattern drawings was carefully specified.
Andreas Pavias
Andreas Pavias ( el, Ανδρέας Παβίας 1440-1504/1512) was a Greek painter and educator. He was one of the founding fathers of the Cretan School, and his works influenced countless artists both Italian and Greek; paintings by Pavias co ...
(d. after 1504) and his pupil
Angelos Bizamanos, and Nicholas Tzafuris (d. before 1501) were other leading artists.
Even before the fall of
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
there is evidence that leading
Byzantine art
Byzantine art comprises the body of Christian Greek artistic products of the Eastern Roman Empire, as well as the nations and states that inherited culturally from the empire. Though the empire itself emerged from the decline of Rome and lasted u ...
ists were leaving the capital in order to settle in Crete. The migration of Byzantine artists to Crete continued increasingly during the following years and reached its peak after the fall of Constantinople in 1453, when Crete became "the most important centre of art in the Greek world", influencing artistic developments in the rest of the Greek world. Cretan icons were commissioned for monasteries on
Mount Athos
Mount Athos (; el, Ἄθως, ) is a mountain in the distal part of the eponymous Athos peninsula and site of an important centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism in northeastern Greece. The mountain along with the respective part of the peni ...
and elsewhere. Until it fell to the Turks in 1522, the Cretan school was rivalled by the smaller and less significant community of artists in
Rhodes
Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the S ...
.
The Venetian archives preserve considerable documentation on the trade of artistic icons between Venice and Crete, which by the end of the 15th century had become one of mass production. There is documentation of a specific order in 1499, of 700 icons of the
Virgin
Virginity is the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. The term ''virgin'' originally only referred to sexually inexperienced women, but has evolved to encompass a range of definitions, as found in traditional, modern ...
, 500 in a Western style, and 200 in
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
style. The order was placed with three artists by two dealers, one Venetian and one from mainland
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...
, and the time between contract date and delivery was set at only forty-five days. Probably the quality of many such commissioned icons was fairly low, and the dismissive term Madonneri was devised to describe such bulk painters, who later practised in Italy also, often using a quasi-Byzantine style, and apparently often Greek or Dalmatian individuals. Production of icons at these levels seems to have led to a glut in the market, and in the following two decades there is much evidence that the Cretan trade declined significantly, as the European demand had been reduced. But at the top end of the market Cretan icons were now the finest in the
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
world.
16th century
About 120 artists can be documented working in Candia (the Venetian name of
Chandax
Heraklion or Iraklion ( ; el, Ηράκλειο, , ) is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete and capital of Heraklion regional unit. It is the fourth largest city in Greece with a population of 211,370 (Urban Ar ...
, present day
Herakleion), in the period 1453–1526, and they had organized a ''Schuola di San Luca''
painter's guild, based on the Italian model. The blending of the Eastern and the Western traditions, and a relaxed interchange between
Greek Orthodox
The term Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also cal ...
and
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
* Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
rites led to the "Cretan Renaissance", a golden period for the arts on the island, where both literature and painting flourished. Some of these painters chose to continue the
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
tradition of Constantinople, while others were influenced by the masters of the Venetian Renaissance, such as
Giovanni Bellini
Giovanni Bellini (; c. 1430 – 26 November 1516) was an Italian Renaissance painter, probably the best known of the Bellini family of Venetian painters. He was raised in the household of Jacopo Bellini, formerly thought to have been his fath ...
and
Titian
Tiziano Vecelli or Vecellio (; 27 August 1576), known in English as Titian ( ), was an Italians, Italian (Republic of Venice, Venetian) painter of the Renaissance, considered the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school (art), ...
.
[M. Tazartes, ''El Greco'', 23-24] Later
Veronese was to be a particular influence. Works by these masters or copies were in monasteries and churches of the island, while examples of
Early Netherlandish painting
Early Netherlandish painting, traditionally known as the Flemish Primitives, refers to the work of artists active in the Burgundian and Habsburg Netherlands during the 15th- and 16th-century Northern Renaissance period. It flourished especia ...
decorated the Catholic churches of
Candia or were to be found in the private collections of rich Venetians and Greeks.
In particular, Candia contained a large Franciscan church and a large Orthodox monastery, a daughter-house of
Saint Catherine's Monastery
Saint Catherine's Monastery ( ar, دير القدّيسة كاترين; grc-gre, Μονὴ τῆς Ἁγίας Αἰκατερίνης), officially the Sacred Autonomous Royal Monastery of Saint Katherine of the Holy and God-Trodden Mount Sinai, ...
, both of which had strong collections from their respective traditions.
Contemporary documents refer to two styles in painting: the ''
maniera greca
Italo-Byzantine is a style term in art history, mostly used for medieval paintings produced in Italy under heavy influence from Byzantine art. It initially covers religious paintings copying or imitating the standard Byzantine icon types, but pa ...
'' (''alla greca'', in line with the Byzantine idiom) and the ''maniera Latina'' (''alla Latina'', in accordance with Western techniques), which artists knew and utilized according to the circumstances; as a result some kind of "
eclecticism
Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories i ...
" appeared. Indeed, sometimes both styles could be found in the same icon, the one right next to the other.
[M. Lambraki-Plaka, El Greco—The Greek] The fame of the most prominent Cretan painters spread throughout
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...
, the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on ...
and Europe. After the beginning of the 16th century, the Cretan artists once again had more commissions and their works were avidly sought, since they had started to use new motives and to adjust their iconography to the new trends of their era. To an extent quantity was probably replaced by quality compared with the previous century.
16th-century artists
Apart from El Greco, the most famous Cretan artists during the century were Theophanis Strelitzas (Θεοφάνης Στρελίτζας), known as
Theophanes the Cretan,
Michael Damaskenos
Michael Damaskenos or Michail Damaskenos ( el, Μιχαήλ Δαμασκηνός, 1530/35–1592/93) was a leading post-Byzantine Cretan painter. He is a major representative of the Cretan School of painting that flourished in the 16th and 17 ...
(Μιχαήλ Δαμασκηνός), and
Georgios Klontzas (Γεώργιος Κλόντζας).
Various members of the Lambardos family were also significant artists. Fortunately for art historians, many Cretan painters adopted the practice, perhaps as early as Western painters, of signing their work, which was not a traditional Byzantine practice.
Theophanes the Cretan was a relatively conservative Cretan artist, whose first dated work is from 1527, and all of whose known works were done on the mainland or smaller islands. He was the most important Greek wall painter of his day, incorporating some Western iconographic and stylistic elements, but remaining essentially Byzantine in spirit.
The intellectual and artistic personality of the young
El Greco
Domḗnikos Theotokópoulos ( el, Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος ; 1 October 1541 7 April 1614), most widely known as El Greco ("The Greek"), was a Greek painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. "El ...
was formed in this artistic environment. In 1563, at the age of twenty-two, El Greco was described in a document as a "master" ("maestro Domenigo"), meaning he was already an enrolled master of the local guild, presumably in charge of his own workshop.
[N.M. Panayotakis, ''The Cretan Period of Doménicos'', 29] He left for Venice a few years later, and never returned to Crete. His ''
Dormition of the Virgin'', of before 1567 in
tempera
Tempera (), also known as egg tempera, is a permanent, fast-drying painting medium consisting of colored pigments mixed with a water-soluble binder medium, usually glutinous material such as egg yolk. Tempera also refers to the paintings done ...
and gold on panel (61,4 x 45 cm, Holy Cathedral of the Dormition of the Virgin,
Hermoupolis
Ermoupoli ( el, Ερμούπολη), also known by the formal older name Ermoupolis or Hermoupolis ( el, < "Town of "), is a to ...
,
Syros) was probably created near the end of
El Greco
Domḗnikos Theotokópoulos ( el, Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος ; 1 October 1541 7 April 1614), most widely known as El Greco ("The Greek"), was a Greek painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. "El ...
's Cretan period. The painting combines post-Byzantine and Italian
Mannerist
Mannerism, which may also be known as Late Renaissance, is a style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 16th century in Ita ...
stylistic and iconographic elements, and incorporates stylistic elements of the Cretan School.
During the second half of the 16th century, many Cretan artists went to
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
, in the hope of gaining commissions and recognition. Unlike El Greco, the other Cretan painters who moved there did not substantially alter their styles or working methods. They simply incorporated more Italian motifs into a consistent Byzantine framework.
Jonathan Brown provides a perceptive analysis of the ways that El Greco distinguished himself from other Cretan artists active in Venice, while
Richard Mann argues that "none of these painters accepted Renaissance ideas about the relevance of change to the creation of art works".
[J. Brown, ''El Greco and Toledo'', 76-78]
* R.G. Mann, ''Tradition and Originality in El Greco's Work'', 88 Michael Damaskenos returned to Crete after three years, and remained there for the rest of his life.
17th century
The 1600s were characterized as the final period of the Cretan School. The movement featured many artists. The Late Cretan School was characterized by prototypes set forth by
Michael Damaskinos
Michael Damaskenos or Michail Damaskenos ( el, Μιχαήλ Δαμασκηνός, 1530/35–1592/93) was a leading post-Byzantine Cretan painter. He is a major representative of the Cretan School of painting that flourished in the 16th and 17 ...
and
Georgios Klontzas. During that period
Damaskinos's ''
Beheading of John the Baptist
The beheading of John the Baptist, also known as the decollation of Saint John the Baptist or the beheading of the Forerunner, is a biblical event commemorated as a holy day by various Christian churches. According to the New Testament, Her ...
'' and the ''
Stoning of Stephen'' were copied by countless Cretan artists. Some included
Philotheos Skoufos
Philotheos Skoufos el, Φιλόθεος Σκούφος also known as Filotheos Skoufos. Philotheos was a Greek painter, educator and clergyman during the 17th century. He collaborated with Emmanuel Tzanes on several pieces while he was in Corf ...
.
Georgios Klontzas was another Cretan painter copied by many artists of the Late Cretan School. Both his ''
In Thee Rejoiceth'' and his ''
The Last Judgment'' set the standard for painters of the Late Cretan School.
Theodore Poulakis
Theodore Poulakis ( el, Θεόδωρος Πουλάκης; 1622–1692) was a Greek Renaissance painter and teacher. He is considered the father of the Heptanese School and one of the most prolific painters of Venetian Crete. Poulakis was a me ...
was a prominent member of the Late Cretan School. His version of Klontzas’s painting was also called ''
In Thee Rejoiceth''. Both paintings are very similar. Many other painters also created their own version of Klontzas's ''
In Thee Rejoiceth''.
The Last Judgement was covered by artists of the Greek-Italian Byzantine style. Klontzas created his own unique version of the painting. Klontzas's ''
Last Judgment
The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...
'' was copied by artists of the Late Cretan School. Notable versions include
Moskos's ''
Last Judgment
The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...
'' and
Kavertzas's ''
Last Judgment
The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...
''.
One of the most important artistic advancements of the Late Cretan School was the work of
Ieremias Palladas. Palladas was a Sinaitic monk. He painted ''
Catherine of Alexandria
Catherine of Alexandria (also spelled Katherine); grc-gre, ἡ Ἁγία Αἰκατερίνη ἡ Μεγαλομάρτυς ; ar, سانت كاترين; la, Catharina Alexandrina). is, according to tradition, a Christian saint and virgin, ...
'' with a wheel and a burning bush for the iconostasis of the god-trodden
Saint Catherine's Monastery
Saint Catherine's Monastery ( ar, دير القدّيسة كاترين; grc-gre, Μονὴ τῆς Ἁγίας Αἰκατερίνης), officially the Sacred Autonomous Royal Monastery of Saint Katherine of the Holy and God-Trodden Mount Sinai, ...
. The painting was copied by numerous artists of the Late Cretan School and serves as a prototype for the depiction of Saint Catherine of Alexandria until today. Painters of the Late Cretan School also created their own version of the Crucifixion. Notable version were
Ioannis Moskos
Ioannis Moskos ( el, Ιωάννης Μόσκος; 1635-44 – 1721) was a Greek painter that migrated to Venice. Two other very famous painters with the name Moskos were active around the same period Elias Moskos and Leos Moskos. Leos Moskos ...
's ''
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthagi ...
'' and
Georgios Markazinis
Georgios Markazinis ( el, Γεώργιος Μαρκαζίνης, ), also known as Georgius Margazinis or Margazinius, was a Greek painter from the island of Crete. His style is different from his contemporaries. He can be likened to Ioannis Perm ...
's ''
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthagi ...
''.
Another major representative of the Cretan School during the 17th century was famous Greek painter
Emmanuel Tzanes
Emmanuel Tzanes ( el, Εμμανουήλ Τζάνες, 1610 – 28 March 1690), also known as Bounialis ( el, Μπουνιαλής) Emmanuel Tzane-Bounialis, Emmanuel Zane, and Emmanuel Tzane. He was a Greek Renaissance painter. He was an a ...
, 130 of his works survived. Cretan icon painters continued to flourish, until the mid-century. Venetian art was not the only influence of the Cretan School. The Late Cretan School was characterized by the influence of
flemish engravings namely that of engraver
Jan Sadeler I.
Sadeler had a workshop in
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
. His work influenced
Konstantinos Tzanes
Konstantinos Tzanes ( el, Κωνσταντίνος Τζάνες, 1633 – 1685; also known as Bounialis ( el, Μπουνιαλής) Konstantinos Tzane-Bounialis, Konstantinos Zane, or Konstantinos Tzane) was a Greek Renaissance painter. He ...
and
Georgios Markazinis
Georgios Markazinis ( el, Γεώργιος Μαρκαζίνης, ), also known as Georgius Margazinis or Margazinius, was a Greek painter from the island of Crete. His style is different from his contemporaries. He can be likened to Ioannis Perm ...
.
The
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922).
Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...
occupied all the island except for Candia, which finally fell after twenty years of siege in 1669. After the Ottoman occupation of Crete, the centre of Greek painting moved to the
Ionian Islands, which remained under Venetian rule until the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fre ...
. A new artistic movement was created called the
Heptanese School which was mostly influenced by
Western European artistic trends. Many Cretan artists migrated to the Heptanese or
Western Europe
Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context.
The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...
to enjoy the artistic freedom. Few artists continued to flourish in
Crete
Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, ...
after the occupation. Some of them were
Michael Prevelis,
Ioannis Kornaros and
Georgios Kastrofylakas. A successive occupation of the Ionian islands by the
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
and the
British allowed the
Heptanese to remain the centre of
Greek Art
Greek art began in the Cycladic and Minoan civilization, and gave birth to Western classical art in the subsequent Geometric, Archaic and Classical periods (with further developments during the Hellenistic Period). It absorbed influences of E ...
until the independence of Greece in 1830.
Research
The
Institute of Neohellenic Research published three Encyclopedias outlining the records of countless artists from the Fall of the Byzantine Empire until the onset of modern Greece. It is the first time in history Greek painters were listed on this scale and magnitude. The work resembles
Giorgio Vasari
Giorgio Vasari (, also , ; 30 July 1511 – 27 June 1574) was an Italian Renaissance Master, who worked as a painter, architect, engineer, writer, and historian, who is best known for his work '' The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculp ...
’s
Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects
''The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects'' ( it, Le vite de' più eccellenti pittori, scultori, e architettori), often simply known as ''The Lives'' ( it, Le Vite), is a series of artist biographies written by 16th-ce ...
and
Bernardo de' Dominici
Bernardo de' Dominici or Bernardo De Dominici (13 December 1683 – c. 1759) was an Italian art historian and painter of the late-Baroque period, active mainly in Naples. As a painter he was known for his landscapes, marine vedute and genre scene ...
's ''Vite dei Pittori, Scultori, ed Architetti Napolitani''.
The books feature thousands of paintings, frescos, and other artistic works. The encyclopedias feature hundreds of painters. The three volumes are currently only available in Greek and entitled ''Έλληνες Ζωγράφοι μετά την Άλωση (1450-1830)'' or ''Greek painters after the fall (1450-1830)''. Eugenia Drakopoulou and
Manolis Hatzidakis were the major contributors. The volumes were published in 1987, 1997, and 2010. The books feature many artists from the Cretan School or Greek Renaissance period. Drakopoulou continues her research with the institute until today.
[*]
The program's purpose is to build an archive of Greek painters after the fall of Constantinople (1450-1830). It features biographical details and an index of artistic works. The
Institute of Neohellenic Research catalogs portable icons, church frescoes, and or any other artistic works. This is the first time in history a systematic record was accumulated in Greece representing the period.
Gallery
File:Chanter Angelos Akotandos - St George on Horseback, Slaying the Dragon - Google Art Project.jpg, ''St George'' by Angelos Akotantos (15th century)
File:Ritzos Andreas - Two scenes from the life of St John the Divine - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Two scenes from the life of St John the Divine'' by Andreas Ritzos (15th century) Benaki Museum
The Benaki Museum, established and endowed in 1930 by Antonis Benakis in memory of his father Emmanuel Benakis, is housed in the Benakis family mansion in downtown Athens, Greece. The museum houses Greek works of art from the prehistorical to the ...
File:Scuola di andrea ritzos o andrea pavias, trittico con pietà e scene di passione e resurrezione, creta 1510 ca.jpg, Triptych by Andreas Ritzos
File:Icon with Saint George Dragon-Slayer 16th c. (8384472164).jpg, ''St George Dragon Slayer'' by Georgios Klontzas (16th)
Image:CretanCrucifixion.jpg, ''Crucifixion'' by Emmanuel Lambardos (17th)
File:Poulakis Theodoros - The archangel Michael - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Archangel Michael'' by Theodoros Poulakis (17th)
File:Theodoros Poulakis - The Nativity of Christ - WGA18226.jpg, ''Nativity of Christ'' by Theodoros Poulakis
File:Tzanes Emmanuel - St Mark the Evangelist - Google Art Project.jpg, ''St Mark the Evangelist'' by Emmanuel Tzanes
Emmanuel Tzanes ( el, Εμμανουήλ Τζάνες, 1610 – 28 March 1690), also known as Bounialis ( el, Μπουνιαλής) Emmanuel Tzane-Bounialis, Emmanuel Zane, and Emmanuel Tzane. He was a Greek Renaissance painter. He was an a ...
(17th)
File:Theodora by Emmanouel Tzanes (1671, Byzantine museum).jpg, ''St Theodora'' by Emmanuel Tzanes
File:Resurrection by Ilias Moskos (1679, Byzantine museum).jpg, ''Resurrection'' by Elias Moskos
Ilias or Elias Moskos ( el, Ηλίας Μόσκος, 1620/1629- January 26, 1687) was a Greek educator, shipping merchant and painter from Crete. The last name Moskos was associated with three famous painters of the Cretan School alive during the ...
(17th)
File:Lapidation de saint Etienne Filotheos Skoufos.JPG, ''Martyrdom of Saint Stephen'' by Filotheos Skoufos (17th)
File:Mary Magdalene by Constantin Tzanes (17th c.).jpg, ''Mary Magdalene'' by Konstantinos Tzanes
Konstantinos Tzanes ( el, Κωνσταντίνος Τζάνες, 1633 – 1685; also known as Bounialis ( el, Μπουνιαλής) Konstantinos Tzane-Bounialis, Konstantinos Zane, or Konstantinos Tzane) was a Greek Renaissance painter. He ...
(17th)
See also
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Greek scholars in the Renaissance
The migration waves of Byzantine Greek scholars and émigrés in the period following the end of the Byzantine Empire in 1453 is considered by many scholars key to the revival of Greek studies that led to the development of the Renaissanc ...
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Benaki Museum
The Benaki Museum, established and endowed in 1930 by Antonis Benakis in memory of his father Emmanuel Benakis, is housed in the Benakis family mansion in downtown Athens, Greece. The museum houses Greek works of art from the prehistorical to the ...
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National Gallery (Athens)
The National Gallery ( el, Εθνική Πινακοθήκη, ''Ethniki Pinakothiki'') is an art museum located on Vasilissis Sofias avenue in the Pangrati district, Athens, Greece. It is devoted to Greek and European art from the 14th century ...
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Vitsentzos Kornaros
Vitsentzos or Vikentios Kornaros ( el, Βιτσέντζος or ) or Vincenzo Cornaro (March 29, 1553 – 1613/1614) was a Cretan poet, who wrote the romantic epic poem '' Erotokritos''. He wrote in vernacular Cretan dialect ( Cretan Greek), and w ...
Citations
References
General
*Various authors, ''From Byzantium to El Greco'', Athens 1987, Byzantine Museum of Arts
*Chatzidakis, Manolis, in ''The Icon'', 1982, Evans Brothers Ltd, London, 1981,
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*David Talbot-Rice, Byzantine Art, 3rd edn 1968, Penguin Books Ltd
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El Greco
* Bray, Xavier; ''El Greco''; 2004; National Gallery Company, London (dist Yale UP);
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External links
National Gallery of AthensGiorgios Klontzas icon in Philadelphia*
ttps://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/arts/design/20greco.html?ref=design ''New York Times'' Art Review: 'The Origins of El Greco' Saints at a Cultural Crossroadsbr>
''Byzantium: faith and power (1261–1557)'' an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on the Cretan School
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Cretan Renaissance
El Greco
Eastern Orthodox icons
Byzantine art
Icon-painting schools