George Bouzianis
Encyclopedia
George Bouzianis (Athens
, November 8, 1885 – October 22, 1959) was a major Greek
expressionist painter.
He studied painting at the School of Fine Arts of Athens with teachers such as Nikiphoros Lytras
and Konstantinos Volanakis
, Roilos and Geraniotis. In 1907 he moved to Munich
to continue his art studies with Otto Seitz. In 1910 he moved to Berlin
where he was taught from Max Liebermann
. In 1917 he has already adopted elements of German expressionism
movement in his own individual artistic style. He became very soon a respected artist in Germany and very soon he had his first contract with the Barhfeld gallery. In 1927 in Chemnitz
there was a large exhibition of his work. Between 1929 and 1932 he travelled and lived in Paris with the financial support of the Barhfeld gallery. Due to the financial crisis across Europe he had to return to Eichenau
near Munich, where he had built a house. Unfortunately, expressionism
was gradually fading away in Germany with the rise of nazism
in Germany's politics.
In 1934 he returned to Greece
. To his own disappointment he failed to take a position at the School of Fine Arts of Athens. Initially, Bouzianis was treated with hostility from the Athenian artistic circles who started to appreciate his oeuvre after his exhibition at Parnassos gallery in 1949.
In 1950 he represented Greece at the Venice Biennale
and in 1952 he was awarded with the first award of the Guggenheim
competition for Greece.
His house after his death in Daphne of Attica has been converted to a museum. His paintings are today exhibited at the National Gallery of Athens and in many other museums in Greece and abroad.
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...
, November 8, 1885 – October 22, 1959) was a major Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
expressionist painter.
He studied painting at the School of Fine Arts of Athens with teachers such as 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...
and Konstantinos Volanakis
Konstantinos 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...
, Roilos and Geraniotis. In 1907 he moved to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
to continue his art studies with Otto Seitz. In 1910 he moved to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
where he was taught from Max Liebermann
Max Liebermann
Max Liebermann was a German-Jewish painter and printmaker best known for his etching and lithography.-Biography:...
. In 1917 he has already adopted elements of German expressionism
German Expressionism
German Expressionism refers to a number of related creative movements beginning in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin, during the 1920s...
movement in his own individual artistic style. He became very soon a respected artist in Germany and very soon he had his first contract with the Barhfeld gallery. In 1927 in Chemnitz
Chemnitz
Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
there was a large exhibition of his work. Between 1929 and 1932 he travelled and lived in Paris with the financial support of the Barhfeld gallery. Due to the financial crisis across Europe he had to return to Eichenau
Eichenau
Eichenau is a municipality in the district of Fürstenfeldbruck, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 20 km west of Munich .Eichenau was officially named in 1907 as a separate settlement to the community of Alling. Its location is due to the railway station on the line Munich to Lindau...
near Munich, where he had built a house. Unfortunately, expressionism
Expressionism
Expressionism was a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect in order to evoke moods or ideas...
was gradually fading away in Germany with the rise of nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
in Germany's politics.
In 1934 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....
. To his own disappointment he failed to take a position at the School of Fine Arts of Athens. Initially, Bouzianis was treated with hostility from the Athenian artistic circles who started to appreciate his oeuvre after his exhibition at Parnassos gallery in 1949.
In 1950 he represented Greece at the Venice Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
and in 1952 he was awarded with the first award of the Guggenheim
Guggenheim
Guggenheim may refer to:* Benjamin Guggenheim* Charles Guggenheim* Davis Guggenheim* Guggenheim Building* Guggenheim family* Guggenheim Fellowship* Guggenheim Museum * Harry Frank Guggenheim* John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation...
competition for Greece.
His house after his death in Daphne of Attica has been converted to a museum. His paintings are today exhibited at the National Gallery of Athens and in many other museums in Greece and abroad.
External links
- Νίκος Χατζηνικολάου, «Γεώργιος Μπουζιάνης: Αθόρυβος και παρανοημένος κορυφαίος», εφημ. Τα Νέα, 17 Δεκεμβρίου 1999.]
- Bouzianis works pics
- National Gallery of Greece
- Webpage devoted to Georgios Bouzianis
- Article on Georgios Bouzianis in Eichenau near Munich
- Article on Georgios Bouzianis, auction of a paiinting in 2008