Theodore Poulakis ( el, Θεόδωρος Πουλάκης; 1622–1692) was a

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...

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 member of the

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 contemporary was

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 ...

and Poulakis were active painters of the

until Candia, went to war with the Ottomans around 1649. Candia finally fell after twenty years of siege in 1669. Poulakis settled on the island of Corfu.

Stephanos Tzangarolas Stephanos Tzangarolas ( el, Στέφανος Τζαγκαρόλας, 1660-1675 – 1710) also known as Stephano Tzangarola. He was a Greek painter during the late Cretan Renaissance. He migrated from Crete to the island of Corfu. He is a me ...

was another famous painter in Corfu around the same period. Poulakis's works are likened to

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 ...

and

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 ...

. Poulakis works exhibit qualities of the Venetian school. Over 130 of his paintings have survived and can be found all over the world.

History

Poulakis was born in Chania Crete. He was the son of Antonios. He was married and had two children Vittirous and Eleni. By the age of twenty-four, he was living in Venice. He stayed there for thirteen years until 1657. His son was baptized in Venice in 1646 and his daughter two years later. He was a member of the Quaranta council. Famous Greek painters

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 ...

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

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 ...

were all living in Venice around that time. Poulakis was a member of the Greek Brotherhood of Venice in 1654. In 1657, Poulakis migrated to Corfu. He signed a six-year contract to teach painting to Marinos Damistras son Tzorzi. According to the contract, Tzorzi had to follow Poulakis anywhere he went including Venice.

was a witness for Poulakis in a legal matter around 1666. Poulakis traveled to

Cephalonia Kefalonia or Cephalonia ( el, Κεφαλονιά), formerly also known as Kefallinia or Kephallenia (), is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece and the 6th largest island in Greece after Crete, Euboea, Lesbos, Rhodes and Chios. It i ...

where he painted. By 1671, he was back in Venice one year later he was voted a member of the Quaranta e Gionta. In 1673, he took part in a baptism. By 1675, he was back in

Corfu Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...

where he lived out the remainder of his life. He died on November 16, 1692.

Painting style

Some of his paintings escaped the traditional

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 ...

and exhibit fuller shapes and variations of color. His work ''Hymn to the Virgin'' followed the Greek tradition and is comparable to

''Crucifixion of Jesus''. Clearly, both artists try to fill the canvas with figures. Both of the paintings follow the traditional Greek style. Another painting by Greek painter

, ''All Creation Rejoices in Thee'' closely resembles ''Hymn to the Virgin'' where the virgin is at the Center of the icon and countless figures occupy the iconic space.

clearly inspired the work of Poulakis. He is one the fathers of the Heptanese School due to his transition from painting styles. He does not always observe the traditional lines and shapes of

. His paintings ''Adam and Eve'', ''Noah's Ark'', and the Birth of Isaac are examples of the transitional period of the

to the more refined sophisticated art of the Heptanese School. Clearly,

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 ...

experimented with this transition in his ''The Last Supper'', and ''The Wedding of Cana''. Theodore Poulakis takes his viewers from the

to the Heptanese School but

began playing with the idea one hundred years before Poulakis.

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 G ...

never successfully converted the

to his stylistic transitions. Poulakis continued painting until the time of his death. Hatzidakis, 1997, pp 304-317

Gallery

Cretan School

File:Theodore Poulakis In Thee Rejoiceth.jpg, In Thee Rejoiceth File:Icon with the Virgin of the Tree of Jesse. 1666 (8384481474).jpg, Virgin, Tree of Jesse File:Theodore Poulakis Icon.jpg, '' St. John the Baptist '' File:S. Nicholas by T.Poulakis (?), 17th c.jpg, Saint Nicholas File:Poulakis Theodoros - St Spyridon and scenes from his life - Google Art Project.jpg, ''St.Spyridon and scenes from his life'' File:Palaiokastritsa monastery25.JPG, Palaiokastritsa monastery, Corfu Icon of the St. George File:Saint John - Theodore Poulakis.jpg, Saint John File:Poulakis Theodoros-The ascension of prophen Elijah and scenes from his life (borders).jpg, The Ascension of Prophet Elijah and Scenes from his life.

Heptanese School

File:Poulakis Theodoros - The archangel Michael - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Archangel Michael'' File:Theodore Poulakis Adam and God.png, God Creates Adam File:Theodore Poulakis Adam and Eve.png, God Creates Eve File:Theodore Poulakis Adam and Eve.jpg, Adam and Eve File:Noah's Ark by T.Poulakis after engraving of J.Sadeler (17th c.).jpg, Noah's Ark File:Theodore Poulakis Birth of Isaac.jpg, Birth of Isaac File:Theodoros Poulakis - The Nativity of Christ - WGA18226.jpg, The Nativity of Christ File:Theodore Poulakis Moses.jpg, Death of Moses

Notable works

In Thee Rejoiceth (Poulakis) ''In Thee Rejoiceth'' also known as ''Epi Si Harri'' is a tempera and gold leaf painting by Theodore Poulakis. The central figure of the piece is the Virgin Mary. The painting is a tribute to her. Poulakis was from Chania Crete. He was active o ...

*Adoration of Joseph, ''Collection Sterbini

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 ...

, Italy'' *The Four Knights of the Apocalypse ''Collection by S. Amberg

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

'' *

Onuphrius Onuphrius ( el, Ὀνούφριος, Onouphrios; also ''Onoufrios'') lived as a hermit in the desert of Upper Egypt in the 4th or 5th centuries. He is venerated as Saint Onuphrius in both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Catholic churches, as Vene ...

Entrhoned ''

Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 158,493 residents in December 2017. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn (pronou ...

, Italy'' *John the Baptist as Child ''Sotheby's

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, United Kingdom'' *John the Theologian ''Lefkosia, Cyprus'' *Crucifixion, ''Collection of Abou-Adal

Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...

, Lebanon'' *All Thee Rejoices ''Private Collection

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

'' * Noah's Ark (Poulakis) * The Archangel Michael (Poulakis) * The Fall of Man (Poulakis) * The Miracle of the Holy Belt

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Poulakis, Theodore 1622 births 1692 deaths Cretan Renaissance painters 17th-century Greek people People from Chania 17th-century Greek painters Painters of the Heptanese School Greek Baroque painters