Constantinos Maleas
Constantinos Maleas was one of the most significant Greek Post-Impressionist painters of the early 20th century. Along with Constantinos Parthenis, he is regarded as the "father of modern art in Greece" and one of the first "plein air" artists who introduced new aesthetic movements into Greek painting.
Early Years and Education
Maleas was born and raised in Constantinople and graduated from the Great School of the Nation, where he first encountered painting. In 1901, he left for Paris to study architecture. However, his exposure to the artistic environment of the French capital led him to painting.
He remained in France until 1908, studying at the École des Arts Décoratifs and the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. There, he was a student of Neo-Impressionist painter Henri Martin, who greatly influenced his style.
Travels and Early Works
After completing his studies, Maleas returned to Constantinople. Shortly afterward, he traveled for two years across the Near East (Egypt, Lebanon, Syria), engaging intensely in painting. These travels resulted in paintings, sketches, and descriptive texts that he published as reports in Constantinopolitan newspapers and magazines.
In 1910, he returned once again to his birthplace, continuing his artistic production. In 1913, he married Eleni Tzorbatzis from Smyrna and, after a brief stay in Paris, settled in Athens in the summer of the same year.
Relocation to Thessaloniki and the Great Fire
In November 1913, Maleas moved to Thessaloniki, where he took up the position of chief municipal engineer. However, in the great fire that devastated much of the city's center, an unknown number of his works were destroyed. This event likely prompted him to leave Thessaloniki and settle in Athens in September 1917.
Teaching and Educational Work
In 1918, he became the director of the newly established Museum of Folk Handicrafts, founded by decision of Eleftherios Venizelos. At the same time, he collaborated with a group of educators, including Manolis Triantafyllidis, Alexandros Delmouzos, and Dimitris Glinos, who worked on the 1917 educational reform.
That same year, the Primer with the Sun, the first primer written in the demotic Greek language, was published and illustrated by Maleas.
In 1918, he was appointed a member of the Artistic Council of the National Gallery and became a founding member of the artistic group "Techni." He participated in all its exhibitions, both in Athens and Paris (1917-1921).
Artistic Travels and Mature Period
In 1920, Maleas traveled across the Peloponnese and the Cyclades. The following year, he accompanied archaeologist Constantinos Rhomaios on excavations in Thermo, Aetolia-Acarnania.
From 1921 to 1923, he lived and worked in Chios and Lesvos, while also embarking on another journey to the Near East, focusing on Egypt. There, he created some of his last works with Oriental influences.
Until 1927, he traveled frequently within Greece and Europe. He participated in numerous group exhibitions and held a total of 13 solo exhibitions.
Social and Political Engagement
Beyond painting, Maleas was active in social and political discussions of his time. He supported the reforms promoted by the Venizelist faction, of which he was an advocate. He wrote articles in newspapers such as Noumas and Elefthero Vima and in art magazines, promoting modernization in education and art.
Death and Legacy
Constantinos Maleas passed away on April 4, 1928, in Athens, reportedly abandoned by nearly everyone: "in a wretched 'clinic' in Marousi... almost deserted by all."
Despite his premature death, his contribution to modern Greek art is invaluable. His work continues to be studied and exhibited, serving as an inspiration for future generations of artists.
Style and Work
Maleas is regarded as a reformer of Greek painting. Along with Constantinos Parthenis, he challenged the academic tradition of the previous artistic generation, which was influenced by the Munich School, and paved the way for the painters of the Generation of the '30s, many of whom were significantly influenced by him.
His training in Paris played a crucial role in shaping his style, where he was exposed to Impressionist and Post-Impressionist movements, which he remained faithful to throughout his artistic career. He primarily focused on landscapes and is considered one of the first Greek plein air painters. His works are characterized by strong and clear colors, light, and stylization, while in the 1910s, he introduced flat depiction, a fundamental principle of modern art, to Greece.
In works like Three Egyptian Women, horizontal, diagonal, and vertical brushstrokes create a ripple effect on the painting’s surface, conveying the impression of viewing objects in Eastern light. Figures appear as fluid masses of color, blending into space. Maleas admired the Impressionists for how they handled light but sought to capture the essence of a place in its emotional dimension, introducing progressive color densification to emphasize its plastic role.
His artistic value was recognized early. In 1923, he received the Award for Letters and Arts, and retrospective exhibitions of his work were held at Zappeion in 1929 and the National Gallery in 1980.
Exhibitions
Maleas presented his work in solo exhibitions:
Constantinople, 1910
Smyrna, 1911
Thessaloniki, 1917
"Parnassos" Literary Society, 1917
"Anatoli," 1919
Zappeion, 1920, 1924
At his studio in Athens, 1920-1921
"Splendid," Smyrna, 1920-1921, 1926
Academy of Athens, 1923
Gymnasium of Mytilene, 1923
"Paulus," Munich, 1927
Posthumous exhibitions:
Zappeion, 1928
"Studio," 1935
Venice Biennale, 1936
"Parnassos" Literary Society, 1938
National Gallery, 1980
He also participated in group exhibitions:
Constantinople, 1904, 1911
Cairo, 1909
Thessaloniki, 1914
"SEK," 1915, 1916, 1917, 1921
"Techni Group," 1917, 1919
Paris, 1919
Salon d’Automne, Paris, 1920
Mytilene, 1922
Piraeus, 1925
Posthumous group exhibitions:
"Kallithea of Painters," Kallithea Club, 1934
Transformations of Modernism, National Gallery, 1992
His Works Today
His works are held in the National Gallery of Greece, the Municipal Art Gallery of Rhodes, the Averoff Gallery, the Parnassos Gallery, the Koutlidis, Leventis, and Katsigras Collections, the Bank of Greece, the National Bank, and more. He also published articles in newspapers and magazines. A year after his death, his book Images of Folk Architecture was published.
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