Ioannis Altamouras
Encyclopedia
Ioannis Altamouras (Florence
or Naples
, 1852 – Spetses
, 1878) was an outstanding Greek painter of the 19th century famous for his paintings of seascapes.
Eleni Boukoura-Altamoura. At the age of seven years old his father has abandoned the family. His mother then took him along with his sister Sophia and moved to Athens
in order to be able to manage better her life. From an early age, Ioannis has exhibited his artistic skills in painting. He has been accepted to the Athens School of Fine Arts
where he studied painting along with Nikiphoros Lytras
during the years 1871–1872. With a scholarship of King George II
he was able to continue his studies in Copenhagen
from 1873 to 1876 near Carl Frederik Sørensen
. In 1875 and while he was still in Copenhagen
he has sent to the artistic competition of Olympion in Athens
his painting The port of Copenhagen who won the second award. He returned to Athens where he opened his own painting atelier while his fame and reputation was rapidly expanding. Unfortunately he died from tuberculosis
only at the age of 26. His death has led his mother to a nervous breakdown and subsequently madness.
. In 1878, the year of his death two of his works (Destruction of the Ottoman flagship by Papanikolis in Eressos and the Naval battle of Captain Miaoulis) are presented at the International Exhibition of Paris, the latter has been also presented at the Exhibition of the Sacred Battle of 1821
at the Athens Polytechnic in 1884. Another of his seascape paintings was presented at the International Exhibition of Rome in 1911.
Art critics have been categorising his work to the Munich School
Greek art movement. His marine scenes show the influence of 17th-century Dutch
seascapes and French
plein-air painting. The vivid light, the bright blues, greens, yellows and greys, the open horizons and the motion in his works show that he was gradually discarding the strict perfection of academic realism and favouring more impressionism
. Many of his works are today exhibited at the National Gallery of Athens and other museums and institutions in Greece
.
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
or Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, 1852 – Spetses
Spetses
Spetses is an island and a municipality in the Islands regional unit, Attica, Greece. It is sometimes included as one of the Saronic Islands. Until 1948, it was part of the old prefecture of Argolidocorinthia, which is now split into Argolis and Corinthia...
, 1878) was an outstanding Greek painter of the 19th century famous for his paintings of seascapes.
Biography
Altamouras father was the Italian painter Francesco Saverio Altamura and his mother was the aristocrat and first Greek female painter from SpetsesSpetses
Spetses is an island and a municipality in the Islands regional unit, Attica, Greece. It is sometimes included as one of the Saronic Islands. Until 1948, it was part of the old prefecture of Argolidocorinthia, which is now split into Argolis and Corinthia...
Eleni Boukoura-Altamoura. At the age of seven years old his father has abandoned the family. His mother then took him along with his sister Sophia and moved to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
in order to be able to manage better her life. From an early age, Ioannis has exhibited his artistic skills in painting. He has been accepted to the Athens School of Fine Arts
Athens School of Fine Arts
The Athens School of Fine Arts , is Greece's premier art school whose main objective is to develop the artistic talents of its students.-History:Athens School of Fine Arts was established on 12 January 1837, known as the School for the Arts...
where he studied painting along with Nikiphoros Lytras
Nikiphoros Lytras
Nikiphoros Lytras was a nineteenth century Greek painter. He was born in Tinos, and trained in Athens at the School of Arts. In 1860 he won a scholarship to Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Munich. After completing these studies, he became a professor at the School of Arts in 1866, a position he held...
during the years 1871–1872. With a scholarship of King George II
George II of Greece
George II reigned as King of Greece from 1922 to 1924 and from 1935 to 1947.-Early life, first period of kingship and exile:George was born at the royal villa at Tatoi, near Athens, the eldest son of King Constantine I of Greece and his wife, Princess Sophia of Prussia...
he was able to continue his studies in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
from 1873 to 1876 near Carl Frederik Sørensen
Carl Frederik Sørensen
Carl Frederik Sørensen was a Danish artist who specialized in marine painting. His paintings not only attracted customers in Denmark but also in the courts of St Petersburg, London and Athens....
. In 1875 and while he was still in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
he has sent to the artistic competition of Olympion in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
his painting The port of Copenhagen who won the second award. He returned to Athens where he opened his own painting atelier while his fame and reputation was rapidly expanding. Unfortunately he died from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
only at the age of 26. His death has led his mother to a nervous breakdown and subsequently madness.
Work
Despite his early death Altamouras has left a number of outstanding paintings, mostly small-scale. In particular, his seascapes paintings that he almost exclusively prodced are considered equal to the works of another great Greek painter of seascapes Konstantinos VolanakisKonstantinos Volanakis
Konstantinos Volanakis or Volonakis was a Greek painter, considered one of the best of the 19th century. Born to a wealthy family, he went to Trieste, Italy, in 1856 where he took up painting. He studied in the Munich Academy. He is one of the foremost representatives of the Munich School, a Greek...
. In 1878, the year of his death two of his works (Destruction of the Ottoman flagship by Papanikolis in Eressos and the Naval battle of Captain Miaoulis) are presented at the International Exhibition of Paris, the latter has been also presented at the Exhibition of the Sacred Battle of 1821
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
at the Athens Polytechnic in 1884. Another of his seascape paintings was presented at the International Exhibition of Rome in 1911.
Art critics have been categorising his work to the Munich School
Munich School
The most important artistic movement of Greek Art in the 19th century was academic realism, often called in Greece "the Munich School" because of the strong influence from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Munich , where many Greek artists trained.- History :...
Greek art movement. His marine scenes show the influence of 17th-century Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
seascapes and French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
plein-air painting. The vivid light, the bright blues, greens, yellows and greys, the open horizons and the motion in his works show that he was gradually discarding the strict perfection of academic realism and favouring more impressionism
Impressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s...
. Many of his works are today exhibited at the National Gallery of Athens and other museums and institutions in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
See also
- Munich SchoolMunich SchoolThe most important artistic movement of Greek Art in the 19th century was academic realism, often called in Greece "the Munich School" because of the strong influence from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Munich , where many Greek artists trained.- History :...
- National Gallery of Athens
- Konstantinos VolanakisKonstantinos VolanakisKonstantinos Volanakis or Volonakis was a Greek painter, considered one of the best of the 19th century. Born to a wealthy family, he went to Trieste, Italy, in 1856 where he took up painting. He studied in the Munich Academy. He is one of the foremost representatives of the Munich School, a Greek...
- SeascapesSeascapesSeascapes is a weekly 30-minute Irish radio programme covering maritime matters broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 on Fridays at 22.30 and presented until recently by the award-winning presenter Tom MacSweeney...