Konstantinos Maleas
Encyclopedia
Konstantinos Maleas (Istanbul
, 1879 - Athens
, 1928) was one of the most important Post-impressionist Greek painters of the 20th century. Along with Konstantinos Parthenis
, he considered the most important Modern Art
ist in Greece
.
, far away from the Greek artistic centre in Athens
. The young painter avoided therefore the influence of the Munich School
that dominated Athenian Art. He studied at the Phanar Greek Orthodox College
and then left for Paris
in 1901 at an age of 23 years old to study initially architecture
. In Paris
he eventually decided to study painting
until 1908 near Henri Martin
.
In 1913 he returned to Greece
, initially in Thessaloniki
and then based in Athens
.
In 1917 he became a member of the avant-guard art group Ομάδας Τέχνης that imported the international contemporary art movements to Greece. He travelled extensively in Greece, Western Europe
, Palestine
and Egypt
where he drew some of the subjects for his famous landscapes.
Apart from painting, he was also involved in the public discussion on the modernisation of the Greek language. He was a friend of Glenos, Delmouzos and Triantafylidis. He has illustrated the first alphabet book in the new modern Greek language Demotiki (Αλφαβητάρι με τον ήλιο). He has written articles to the newspapers Nouma, Elefthero Vima and in many art journals. Maleas has been recognised for his artistic contribution from the Greek Government which awarded him with the Highest Acknowledgement of Letters and Arts.
, Paul Gauguin
, Vincent van Gogh
and from the art movements of symbolism
, impressionism
and fauvism
. His paintings are characterised by the very light and bright colours, the large brushes that revolutionalised the stagnant Athenian art of the time. Most art critics have condemned his work and it was only Fotos Politis
that recognised the value of Maleas work and urged the young artists to learn from Maleas paintings. Maleas is still one of the most popular Greek modern artists and his works are exhibited at the National Gallery of Athens and elsewhere.
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, 1879 - 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...
, 1928) was one of the most important Post-impressionist Greek painters of the 20th century. Along with Konstantinos Parthenis
Konstantinos Parthenis
Konstantinos Parthenis born in Alexandria, Egypt was a distinguished Greek painter. Parthenis broke with the Greek academic tradition of the 19th century and introduced modern elements together with traditional themes, like the figure of Christ, in his art.-External links:*...
, he considered the most important Modern Art
Modern art
Modern art includes artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of...
ist in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Biography
Maleas was born and grew up in IstanbulIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, far away from the Greek artistic centre 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...
. The young painter avoided therefore the influence of 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 :...
that dominated Athenian Art. He studied at the Phanar Greek Orthodox College
Phanar Greek Orthodox College
-See also:*Fener*Greeks in Turkey*Zografeion Lyceum*List of schools in Istanbul*Ottoman Greeks...
and then left for Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1901 at an age of 23 years old to study initially architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
. In Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
he eventually decided to study painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
until 1908 near Henri Martin
Henri Martin
Henri Martin was a French historian celebrated in his own day, whose modern reputation has been eclipsed by the greater literary and interpretive powers of his contemporary, the equally passionate patriot Jules Michelet, whose works have often been reprinted.-Biography:Having first written a few...
.
In 1913 he returned to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, initially in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
and then based 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...
.
In 1917 he became a member of the avant-guard art group Ομάδας Τέχνης that imported the international contemporary art movements to Greece. He travelled extensively in Greece, Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
where he drew some of the subjects for his famous landscapes.
Apart from painting, he was also involved in the public discussion on the modernisation of the Greek language. He was a friend of Glenos, Delmouzos and Triantafylidis. He has illustrated the first alphabet book in the new modern Greek language Demotiki (Αλφαβητάρι με τον ήλιο). He has written articles to the newspapers Nouma, Elefthero Vima and in many art journals. Maleas has been recognised for his artistic contribution from the Greek Government which awarded him with the Highest Acknowledgement of Letters and Arts.
Work
Maleas work has been influenced by the work of Paul CézannePaul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th century conception of artistic endeavour to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century. Cézanne can be said to form the bridge between late 19th...
, Paul Gauguin
Paul Gauguin
Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin was a leading French Post-Impressionist artist. He was an important figure in the Symbolist movement as a painter, sculptor, print-maker, ceramist, and writer...
, Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
and from the art movements of symbolism
Symbolism (arts)
Symbolism was a late nineteenth-century art movement of French, Russian and Belgian origin in poetry and other arts. In literature, the style had its beginnings with the publication Les Fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire...
, 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...
and fauvism
Fauvism
Fauvism is the style of les Fauves , a short-lived and loose group of early twentieth-century Modern artists whose works emphasized painterly qualities and strong colour over the representational or realistic values retained by Impressionism...
. His paintings are characterised by the very light and bright colours, the large brushes that revolutionalised the stagnant Athenian art of the time. Most art critics have condemned his work and it was only Fotos Politis
Fotos Politis
Fotos Politis was a great theatreman which he entered himself into the theater with different kinds including, critic, translator, director and international artist.-Biography:...
that recognised the value of Maleas work and urged the young artists to learn from Maleas paintings. Maleas is still one of the most popular Greek modern artists and his works are exhibited at the National Gallery of Athens and elsewhere.