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 same period, along with

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 ...

and

Leos Moskos Leo or Leos Moskos ( el, Λέος Μόσκος, 1620/30 – 1690) was a painter and educator. There were two other painters named Moskos active around the same period, Elias Moskos and Ioannis Moskos, who may have been his relatives. Indeed, L ...

, possibly his relatives. Elias incorporated maniera greca with the Venetian style.

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 ...

and Moskos brought the art and style of Crete into the Heptanese School of the Ionian Islands. Some of his work was inspired by Angelos Akotantos. He was affiliated with other artists such as

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 Corfu ...

. He is often confused with

. His son was not

although they were probably related. Elias most popular painting is ''Christ Pantocrator''. Fifty-two of his paintings survived.

History

Elias was born in Rethymno Crete. His father's name was Ioannis. He was a painter, shipping merchant, and teacher. He eventually married and had two children George and Maria. Two other painters were active during this period with the same last name.

and

they may have been related. He migrated to the Ionian islands. He was active on the island of Zakynthos and Kefalonia. Luckily, he signed many of his icons. According to Venetian records, in 1649 he taught painting to Symeon Maroudas. That same year he agreed to paint scenes in different spaces inside the church Agios Theodore in

Katastari Katastari ( el, Καταστάρι) is a village and a community in the Alykes municipal unit of the island Zakynthos, Greece. It is situated at the foot of the Vrachionas mountain, 2 km from the Ionian Sea coast. It is located 13 kilometers northw ...

, namely the pillars. In 1653, he taught K. Arvanitaki painting. In 1655, he made his students Symeon Maroudas, and Α. Arissaio church committee members. Committee members decided which artists were chosen to paint for the churches. His other student M. Patzo was also a committee member in 1657. During the years 1659-1666 Moskos was heavily involved in the shipping industry in Zakynthos. He was also responsible for building a ship and appointing church committee members in Corfu and Venice. On October 12, 1666, Elias became very ill. He made out a will leaving his fortune to his brother George. Historians have deduced that he was not married with children at the time. He also had a sizable fortune. He had financial dealings with Corfu and Kefalonia. His final wishes were to be buried at the Monastery of Saint John at Langada

. He gave the Monastery his house with a courtyard and his boat. He gave special instructions to the monks for his funeral and memorial. If his instructions were not followed correctly the donation would go to another monastery. He would also cancel the donation of an icon of the Ascension of Jesus Christ to the church of Faneromeni Zakynthos. There was also an icon of the Archangel Michael in the church of Agia Sophia in the village of Koukesi, Zakynthos with his signature. On January 8, 1687, he wrote another will where he wanted to be buried at Faneromeni, Zakynthos. His heirs at this point were his two children George and Maria. He left them a massive fortune. Elias died on January 26, 1687. He began to employ Italian mannerism. This is apparent in ''Jacobs Latter''. The artist creates clear foreground and background. His use of color is also different from the traditional Greek mannerism.

is considered the father of Heptanese School school because of his drastic transition to the new style of painting but Moskos is also an important member of the transition to the more refined style of the Heptanese School of the Ionian Islands.

was a witness in a legal document for Moskos in 1677. The evidence indicates both artists interacted. Elias is sometimes confused with Leos Moskos. Elias painted his famous piece ''Christ Pantocrator'' in the Ionian Islands. The icon is housed in the Icon Museum Recklinghausen. The museum contains the largest Orthodox Style art collection outside of the Orthodox world.

Gallery

File:Elias Moskos - Christ Pantocrator - WGA16289.jpg, Christ Pantocrator File:Jacob’s Ladder by Ilias Moskos (Byzantine museum).jpg, Jacob's Ladder File:Elias Moskos Birth of the Virgin.png, Birth of the Virgin 1661 ''Byzantine Museum'' File:Resurrection by Ilias Moskos (1679, Byzantine museum).jpg, Resurrection 1679 File:Moskos Ilias - The Nativity - Google Art Project.jpg, The Nativity File:Elia moskos, san trifone, 1658.JPG, Saint 1658 File:Moskos Elias Elkomenos 1648.jpg, Jesus 1648 File:Elias Moskos Archangel Michael.png, Archangel Michael ''Dionysios Loverdos Collection'' File:Elias Moskos Saint Constantine.png, Saint Constantine 1678 File:Elias Moskos Birth of Virgin.png, Birth of The Virgin Mary 1686

Notable works

* Christ Enthroned (Moskos) 1653 *Birth of Jesus Christ 1658 ''Benaki Museum'' *Burial of John the Evangelist 1653 ''Collection of Lichacev, Ermitage: Saint Petersburg, Russia'' *

Tryphon Tryphon or Trypho ( el, Τρύφων, ''gen''.: Τρύφωνος; c. 60 BC – 10 BC) was a Greek grammarian who lived and worked in Alexandria. He was a contemporary of Didymus Chalcenterus. He wrote several specialized works on aspects of lan ...

''Donja Lastra, Boka Kotorska

Dalmatia Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...

Croatia'' *Icon of Jesus ''Museo Correr, Venice Italy'' * The Vision of Constantine 1678 *

Virgin and Child on Bronze (Moskos) The Virgin and Child on Bronze is an egg tempera painting by Greek painter Elias Moskos. Moskos was originally from Crete. The painter migrated to Zakinthos. Two other painters with the name Moskos were active during his lifetime. They were I ...

Jacob’s Ladder (Moskos) Jacob’s Ladder is a tempera painting created by Elias Moskos. Elias was a Greek painter originally from the island of Crete. By the 1650s he was living on the island of Zakynthos. He also worked on the island of Kefalonia. There were two ot ...

* The Dormition and Assumption of the Virgin

References

{{Heptanese School (painting) 1687 deaths Cretan Renaissance painters People from Rethymno 17th-century Greek painters Year of birth uncertain Painters of the Heptanese School Greek Baroque painters

History

Gallery

Notable works

See also

References