Photios Kontoglou
Encyclopedia
Photis Kontoglou was a Greek writer
, painter
and icon
ographer.
. From 1915 onwards, he spent a lot of time travelling to places such as Spain
, France
, Portugal
, Angola
. He afterwards moved to Paris
.
However, he soon returned to Asia Minor
to visit his family. There he eye-witnessed the events of 1922 and he returned to Greece as a refugee. In 1923, he stayed for some time at the monasteries of Mount Athos
, where he discovered the technique of Byzantine iconography.Two years later, he got married with Maria Hatzikambouri, who was also from Aivali.
In 1933, he was invited by the Egypt
ian government to work for the Copt
Museum. However, he decided to stay in Athens and he delivered classes of painting at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
. Among his students were some of the most important modern Greek painters.
Photis Kontoglou was paid at his work was during his residence in Paris, where he received a prize for the illustrations he made for the work of Knut Hamsun
Famine.However, it was his illustrations for his own book, Pedro Kazas, that made him famous.
Kontoglou was a particularly productive artist. A devout Orthodox Christian, he was a strong influence in the reintroduction of traditional Byzantine
and postbyzantine style in church iconography, though not all of his painting was religious. He undertook the restoration of the frescos of the Perivleptos church in Mystras
. Furthermore, he painted frescos in various churches all around Greece; among them the Kapnikarea church in Athens. He also painted the monumental fresco of the Patriarchs of Constantinople at the town hall of Athens.
His students for great or small period of time were Rallis Kopsides, Nicos Eggonopoulos, Giannis Tsarouchis, Kallinikos Stavrovouniotis, Costas Giorgakopoulos and Emmanuil Tzirtzilakis. Together with his students Yannis Tsarouchis
and Nikos Engonopoulos
he painted the walls of his house. At present, these paintings can be found at the National Gallery
in Athens
.
Kontoglou also wrote various works of literature
as well as numerous essays.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, painter
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...
and icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
ographer.
Life
He was raised by his mother, Despoina Kontoglou, and his uncle Stefanos Kontoglou, who was abbot in the nearby monastery of Aghia Paraskevi. He spent his childhood among the monastery, the sea and the fishermen. In 1913, he enrolled at the Athens School of Fine ArtsAthens 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...
. From 1915 onwards, he spent a lot of time travelling to places such as Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, France
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...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
. He afterwards moved to 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...
.
However, he soon returned to Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
to visit his family. There he eye-witnessed the events of 1922 and he returned to Greece as a refugee. In 1923, he stayed for some time at the monasteries of Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
, where he discovered the technique of Byzantine iconography.Two years later, he got married with Maria Hatzikambouri, who was also from Aivali.
In 1933, he was invited by the 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...
ian government to work for the Copt
Copt
The Copts are the native Egyptian Christians , a major ethnoreligious group in Egypt....
Museum. However, he decided to stay in Athens and he delivered classes of painting at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , usually referred to simply as the University of Athens, is the oldest university in Southeast Europe and has been in continuous operation since its establishment in 1837. Today, it is the second-largest institution of higher learning in Greece,...
. Among his students were some of the most important modern Greek painters.
Photis Kontoglou was paid at his work was during his residence in Paris, where he received a prize for the illustrations he made for the work of Knut Hamsun
Knut Hamsun
Knut Hamsun was a Norwegian author, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. He was praised by King Haakon VII of Norway as Norway's soul....
Famine.However, it was his illustrations for his own book, Pedro Kazas, that made him famous.
Kontoglou was a particularly productive artist. A devout Orthodox Christian, he was a strong influence in the reintroduction of traditional Byzantine
Byzantine art
Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire from about the 5th century until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453....
and postbyzantine style in church iconography, though not all of his painting was religious. He undertook the restoration of the frescos of the Perivleptos church in Mystras
Mystras
Mystras is a fortified town and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Sparti, of which it is a municipal unit. Situated on Mt...
. Furthermore, he painted frescos in various churches all around Greece; among them the Kapnikarea church in Athens. He also painted the monumental fresco of the Patriarchs of Constantinople at the town hall of Athens.
His students for great or small period of time were Rallis Kopsides, Nicos Eggonopoulos, Giannis Tsarouchis, Kallinikos Stavrovouniotis, Costas Giorgakopoulos and Emmanuil Tzirtzilakis. Together with his students Yannis Tsarouchis
Yannis Tsarouchis
-Early life:Born in Piraeus, he studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts . He was also a student of Photios Kontoglou, who introduced him to Byzantine iconography, while he also studied popular architecture and dressing customs...
and Nikos Engonopoulos
Nikos Engonopoulos
Nikos Engonopoulos was a modern Greek painter and poet. He is one of the most important members of the Greek Generation of the '30s as well as a major representative of the surrealistic movement in Greece...
he painted the walls of his house. At present, these paintings can be found at the National Gallery
National Gallery (Athens)
The National Art Gallery and Alexander Soutzos Museum is an art museum in Athens devoted to Greek and European art from the 14th century to the 20th century. It is directed by Marina Lambraki-Plaka.-History:...
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...
.
Kontoglou also wrote various works of literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
as well as numerous essays.