Frantzeskos or Franghias Kavertzas ( el, Φραντζέσκος Καβερτζάς, 1590/1600-1648) was a Greek painter. His painting style resembles the late
Cretan School
Cretan School describes an important school of icon painting, under the umbrella of post-Byzantine art, which flourished while Crete was under Venetian rule during the late Middle Ages, reaching its climax after the Fall of Constantinople, becom ...
or early Greek Baroque period. His work was influenced by
Georgios Klontzas
Georgios Klontzas ( el, Γεώργιος Κλώντζας, 1535-1608) also known as George Klontzas and Zorzi Cloza dito Cristianopullo. He was a scholar, painter, and manuscript illuminator. He is one of the most influential artists of the post-B ...
,
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 1 ...
and
Emmanuel Tzanfournaris
Emmanuel Tzanfournaris ( el, Εμμανουήλ Τζανφουρνάρης, 1570 – 1630), also known as Emmanouil Manos was a Greek painter. He was a painter in Corfu and Venice. He was taught by famous painter Thomas Bathas. Emmanuel's f ...
. He was active in Crete during the early part of the 17th century roughly after the death of
Georgios Klontzas
Georgios Klontzas ( el, Γεώργιος Κλώντζας, 1535-1608) also known as George Klontzas and Zorzi Cloza dito Cristianopullo. He was a scholar, painter, and manuscript illuminator. He is one of the most influential artists of the post-B ...
. He painted two icons that are very similar to Klontzas's most notable pieces.
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 ...
also painted similar themes. Kavertzas artwork incorporates the
Venetian school. His works influenced
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 ...
. His most notable works are the ''
Last Judgement
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, ...
'', ''
In You Rejoiceth''.
History
Kavertzas was born in
Heraklion
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 A ...
. His father's name was Pavlos. He married Manea Sophianou's sister. Kavertzas had three sons. His first son Pavlos was a painter. There are some records with his signature between 1615 and 1647. He owned property in Crete and Italy. On March 9, 1641, a nun named Evgenia Trapezontiopoulla owed him money for the Last Judgement painting. She could not pay him in money. She bartered with Kavertzas instead. A nun also appears in the lower portion of the Last Judgement painting. Kavertzas had an active and very successful workshop in Crete during the early part of the 17th century before it fell to the Ottomans.
Kavertzas belonged to the late
Cretan School
Cretan School describes an important school of icon painting, under the umbrella of post-Byzantine art, which flourished while Crete was under Venetian rule during the late Middle Ages, reaching its climax after the Fall of Constantinople, becom ...
. His art was influenced by
Georgios Klontzas
Georgios Klontzas ( el, Γεώργιος Κλώντζας, 1535-1608) also known as George Klontzas and Zorzi Cloza dito Cristianopullo. He was a scholar, painter, and manuscript illuminator. He is one of the most influential artists of the post-B ...
and
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 1 ...
. He influenced the art of
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 ...
and his Last Judgment painting. Other artists active in Crete around this time were
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 ...
,
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 ...
, and
Ieremias Palladas
Ieremias Palladas ( el, Ιερεμίας Παλλαδάς, 1580-1592 – 1659), also known as Pouladas ( el, Πουλαδάς) Ieremia Pallada. He was a Greek Renaissance painter. He was a clergyman, painter, and educator. He was affiliate ...
. He painted icons for churches and private collections. His patrons were both Italian and Greek.
All Creation Rejoices In Thee
Kavertzas icon hymn ''In You rejoices'' was inspired by Klontzas and the hymn that was composed by the Syrian monk
John of Damascus
John of Damascus ( ar, يوحنا الدمشقي, Yūḥanna ad-Dimashqī; gr, Ἰωάννης ὁ Δαμασκηνός, Ioánnēs ho Damaskēnós, ; la, Ioannes Damascenus) or John Damascene was a Christian monk, priest, hymnographer, and a ...
. It was used in the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great during the Liturgy of the Faithful. The hymn is as follows:
Both Kavertzas and
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 ...
's paintings were influenced by
Georgios Klontzas
Georgios Klontzas ( el, Γεώργιος Κλώντζας, 1535-1608) also known as George Klontzas and Zorzi Cloza dito Cristianopullo. He was a scholar, painter, and manuscript illuminator. He is one of the most influential artists of the post-B ...
. Kavertzas does not include the pictural representation of the ''Hymn to the Virgin'' but is often referred to as the ''Hymn to the Virgin'' due to its similarity to both Poulakis and Klontzas work. The theme became extremely popular and desirable among patrons.
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 ...
's version is similar to Klontzas's ''
In Thee Rejoiceth'' while Kavertzas painting bears similarities but it exhibits its own characteristics. Kavertzas has fewer figures and the narratives are more apparent. However, Kavertzas grouping of the figures at the bottom clearly resembles
Georgios Klontzas
Georgios Klontzas ( el, Γεώργιος Κλώντζας, 1535-1608) also known as George Klontzas and Zorzi Cloza dito Cristianopullo. He was a scholar, painter, and manuscript illuminator. He is one of the most influential artists of the post-B ...
. The circles of themes also flow outwards.
See also
*
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 Renaissance ...
*
Andreas Karantinos
References
Bibliography
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kavertzas, Franghias
1648 deaths
Cretan Renaissance painters
People from Heraklion
17th-century Greek painters