Polychronis Lembesis
Encyclopedia
Polychronis Lembesis, (1848, Salamis Island
- 1913, Athens
) was a Greek
painter
, a member of the Munich School
of Greek artists.
. He spent his childhood in Salamina, memories of which influenced his artistic work all his life. He studied painting initially at the Athens School of Fine Arts
, in 1875 continuing his studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Munich
, with the financial backing of the politician Dimitrios Voulgaris
("Tsoumpes"). In the academy he was taught by Wilhelm Lindenschmidt and Ludwig von Löfftz. In Munich he became a friend of the already known Greek painter Nicholaos Gysis
.
In 1880, Lembesis returned to Athens
and opened his atelier in the Thission
district. Although he was a master in Landscape painting he became known more for his skills in portraiture
. He began painting portraits of aristocrats and politicians of his age such as Kapsalis, Santarozas, Serpieris, Levidis
and many more. He also taught painting to the children of many of his rich clients such as Stephanos Dragoumis
, who later became prime minister of Greece
The Dragoumis family supported him for most of his life. In 1903 he participated at the International Exhibition of Paris
; the next year his work was included in the artistic exhibition for the International Exhibition of Athens
.
Lembesis died very poor and largely unknown as an artist, perhaps due to a shift in Athenian artistic taste from the Munich School to more modern artistic movements inspired from Paris
. He was buried in Salamina; to cover the cost of his funeral, his relatives had to sell all of his paintings for 2 to 3 drachmas per item. In the only obituary written about him, in the Spring of 1913, Pavlos Nirvanas said: "An honest and sincere artist has died almost out of tact exactly as he did for his whole life".
Some decades after his death his work has been reevaluated, and today Lembesis is considered one of the most important representatives of the Munich School
art movement.
, and often used in his works a similar contradiction of vivid light and dark colours to emphasise chromatically the scenes that he painted.
There are around 100 known works. Some of his most famous paintings that are exhibited at the National Gallery of Athens: Nude (Γυμνό), The Boy with the Rabbits (Το αγόρι με τα κουνέλια), The Artist's Niece (Η ανηψιά του καλλιτέχνη), A Portrait of my Brother (Προσωπογραφία του αδελφού του). Others are The Girl with the Birds (Το κορίτσι με τα περιστέρια) at the Averoff Gallery in Metsovo
, and The Street boy (Το αλητόπαιδο) at the Telloglio Foundation in Thessaloniki
.
Lembesis was also known as a painter of religious scenes, to which he devoted himself after 1883. He moved his atelier to Stournara Street and was commissioned by many Athenian churches. Among his most famous religious works include those for the churches of Saint George Karytsis (Άγιο Γεώργιο Καρύτση), Saint Constantine (Άγιο Κωνσταντίνο) in Piraeus
and Saints Theodoroi (Αγίους Θεοδώρους) of the First Cemetery of Athens
. He has also painted the altar of Saint Dimitrios in Salamina.
An exhibition of his life's work organised in March 1963 in Salamina by the association Evripidis (Ευριπίδης).
Salamis Island
Salamis , is the largest Greek island in the Saronic Gulf, about 1 nautical mile off-coast from Piraeus and about 16 km west of Athens. The chief city, Salamina , lies in the west-facing core of the crescent on Salamis Bay, which opens into the Saronic Gulf...
- 1913, 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...
) was a Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
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...
, a member 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 :...
of Greek artists.
Biography
Lembesis was the son of a shepherd from the island of SalaminaSalamina
The word Salamina may refer to* Salamis Island an Island in Greece* Salamina a town and municipality in Piraeus Prefecture in Greece* Salamina a town and municipality in the Caldas Department in Colombia...
. He spent his childhood in Salamina, memories of which influenced his artistic work all his life. He studied painting initially at 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...
, in 1875 continuing his studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Munich
Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
The Academy of Fine Arts, Munich was founded 1808 by Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria in Munich as the "Royal Academy of Fine Arts" and is one of the oldest and most significant art academies in Germany...
, with the financial backing of the politician Dimitrios Voulgaris
Dimitrios Voulgaris
Dimitrios Voulgaris was a Greek revolutionary fighter during the Greek War of Independence of 1821 who became a politician after independence. He was nicknamed "Tsoumpes" after the distinctive Ottoman-style robe he wore.Voulgaris was born on December 20, 1802 on the island of Hydra in the Saronic...
("Tsoumpes"). In the academy he was taught by Wilhelm Lindenschmidt and Ludwig von Löfftz. In Munich he became a friend of the already known Greek painter Nicholaos Gysis
Nicholaos Gysis
Nikolaos Gyzis was considered one of Greece's most important 19th-century painters. He was most famous for his work Eros and the Painter, his first genre painting. It was auctioned in May 2006 at Bonhams in London, being last exhibited in Greece in 1928...
.
In 1880, Lembesis returned 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...
and opened his atelier in the Thission
Thiseio
Thiseio, also Thisseio, Thisio and Thissio is the name of a neighborhood in downtown Athens, Greece, northwest of the Acropolis, 1.5 km southwest of downtown, and 1 km southwest of city hall; its name derives from the Temple of Hephaestus, also known as Τhiseio, as it was, in earlier times,...
district. Although he was a master in Landscape painting he became known more for his skills in portraiture
Portrait painting
Portrait painting is a genre in painting, where the intent is to depict the visual appearance of the subject. Beside human beings, animals, pets and even inanimate objects can be chosen as the subject for a portrait...
. He began painting portraits of aristocrats and politicians of his age such as Kapsalis, Santarozas, Serpieris, Levidis
Levidis family
Levidis is the name of a family of old Byzantine aristocratic origin, hailing from Constantinople and with a distinguished role in the history of the Ottoman Empire, the Russian Empire, Wallachia, and modern Greece....
and many more. He also taught painting to the children of many of his rich clients such as Stephanos Dragoumis
Stephanos Dragoumis
Stephanos Dragoumis was a judge, writer and Prime Minister of Greece in January-October 1910. He was the father of Ion Dragoumis.-Early years:...
, who later became prime minister of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
The Dragoumis family supported him for most of his life. In 1903 he participated at the International Exhibition of 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...
; the next year his work was included in the artistic exhibition for the International Exhibition of 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...
.
Lembesis died very poor and largely unknown as an artist, perhaps due to a shift in Athenian artistic taste from the Munich School to more modern artistic movements inspired from 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 was buried in Salamina; to cover the cost of his funeral, his relatives had to sell all of his paintings for 2 to 3 drachmas per item. In the only obituary written about him, in the Spring of 1913, Pavlos Nirvanas said: "An honest and sincere artist has died almost out of tact exactly as he did for his whole life".
Some decades after his death his work has been reevaluated, and today Lembesis is considered one of the most important representatives 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 :...
art movement.
Work
Lembesis' work is characterised by a particular skill in achieving perfect chromatic tones and a clarity of design. He is considered the most romantic of all the romantic painters of the Munich School. He admired MurilloBartolomé Estéban Murillo
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo was a Spanish Baroque painter. Although he is best known for his religious works, Murillo also produced a considerable number of paintings of contemporary women and children...
, and often used in his works a similar contradiction of vivid light and dark colours to emphasise chromatically the scenes that he painted.
Metsovo
Metsovo is a town in Epirus on the mountains of Pindus in northern Greece, between Ioannina to the north and Meteora to the south. The largest centre of Vlach life in Greece, Metsovo is bypassed by GR-6 and also by Egnatia Odos Motorway....
, and The Street boy (Το αλητόπαιδο) at the Telloglio Foundation 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...
.
Lembesis was also known as a painter of religious scenes, to which he devoted himself after 1883. He moved his atelier to Stournara Street and was commissioned by many Athenian churches. Among his most famous religious works include those for the churches of Saint George Karytsis (Άγιο Γεώργιο Καρύτση), Saint Constantine (Άγιο Κωνσταντίνο) in Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
and Saints Theodoroi (Αγίους Θεοδώρους) of the First Cemetery of Athens
First Cemetery of Athens
The First Cemetery of Athens is the official cemetery of the City of Athens and the first to be built. It opened in 1837 and soon became a luxurious cemetery for famous Greek people and foreigners....
. He has also painted the altar of Saint Dimitrios in Salamina.
An exhibition of his life's work organised in March 1963 in Salamina by the association Evripidis (Ευριπίδης).