Photios Kontoglou

Fotis ( Fotios ) Kontoglou (Greek Φώτης Κόντογλου, well Photius Kontoglou; born November 8, 1895 in Ayvalik, † July 13, 1965 in Athens ) was a Greek painter and writer. He is considered one of the most important representatives of the so-called "Generation of the 30s " of Greek art. Among his pupils were Yannis Tsarouchis and Nikos Engonopoulos.

Biography and Works

Fotis Kontoglou under the name Fotios Apostolellis ( Φώτιος Αποστολέλλης ) born in Asia Minor Ayvalik, a coastal village opposite the island of Lesbos. His father's name was Nikolaos Apostolellis and his mother Despo Kontoglou. A year after his birth, his father died. The guardianship of him and his three older brothers took over his uncle Stephanos Kontoglou, a superior of the monastery of Saint Paraskevi. From then on he bore the family name of his uncle. His childhood and youth were spent in Ayvalik. He finished high school in 1912. During his school years was Kontoglou member of a group of students ( German: Bee ) is a magazine titled " Melissa" published. Kontoglou it graced the magazine with drawings.

After high school he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Athens. He never went there, but a degree, but went in 1914 to Paris. There he studied works of various styles of painting. During this time Kontoglou worked as artistic director for the magazine illustration. In 1916 he won first prize in a competition for the artistic design of the novel of the Norwegian Nobel laureate Knut Hamsun Hunger.

In 1917 he undertook a journey to Spain and Portugal in 1918 and returned back to France. In the same year Kontoglou wrote his first literary work entitled Pedro Caza. After the end of World War I, he returned in 1919 to Greece. There he founded together with the writers Ilias and Stratis Doukas Venezis the Cultural Association " New People ". It was followed by the release of Pedro Caza. At the girls' school of Ayvalik Kontoglou took up a position as a teacher of French and art history.

During the Asia Minor catastrophe Kontoglou found refuge on the island of Lesbos. Later he went at the invitation of some writers who had enthusiastically read his novel, to Athens. These writers included Elli Alexiou, Markos Augeris, Galatia and Kazantzakis Nikos Kazantzakis. In 1923 traveled Kontoglou, a devout Christian, the Holy Mount Athos. In the monasteries, he came in contact with the Byzantine painting. Kontoglou authored numerous texts on Byzantine painting and drawing pictures. After his return he published the picture book The Art of Athos and showed his paintings for the first time at an art exhibition.

In 1925 he married Maria Chatzikambouris. The couple settled in the Athens district of Nea Ionia. In addition to his involvement with the art Kontoglou henceforth worked as an icon restorer of the Byzantine Museum of Athens in Mystra in the Peloponnese and the Coptic Museum in Cairo. He also painted images of saints in churches, mainly in Attica, but also on Rhodes and in other places in Greece. Kontoglou also painted a large mural in the town hall of Athens, portraits (including the writer Skiathos ) and images with historical or religious references. He partly also developed its own style of painting, between Byzantine painting and modern painting. Among his literary works apart from Pedro Caza's books: Giavas Thalassinos, Ayvalik, my home, blessed haven, seas, boats and ship masters.

1961 his book expressions of Orthodox iconography was honored by the Academy of Athens. In 1963, his book Ayvalik, my home a prize of Greek literary critic. In the same year, the Academy of Athens honored him for his life's work.

Kontoglou died on July 13, 1965 to the consequences of postoperative infection.