Théodore Ralli

Théodore Jacques Ralli (Greek Θεόδωρος Ράλλης; born February 16, 1852 in Constantine Opel, † October 2, 1909 in Lausanne; actually Theodoros Rallis Jannis ) was a French painter of Greek origin. His painting style of his genre and landscape images is assigned to the French academic painting school of the late 19th century. He is considered one of the most important painters of Orientalism.

Biography

He was born under the name Theodoros Rallis Jannis at Constantinople Opel son of a wealthy Greek merchant family that originally came from the island of Chios. He studied with a scholarship of King Otto of Greece, in Paris, as a pupil of orientalist Jean -Léon Gérôme. His works were first exhibited in 1875 at the Paris Salon. Ralli was a member of the 1881 founded the Société des Artistes Français, the Organizing Committee of the art exhibition of the Parisian salons, which commended him for his work in 1885 and 1889 was characterized with the Silver medal. A year later Ralli was appointed as part of the Universal Exposition of Paris in the Commission of the art critic. In later years, he was honored for his contribution to the arts by the French government with the Legion of Honour.

Ralli often traveled to Asia Minor, Palestine and Egypt, to gather inspiration for his works. His time was spent mainly between Paris and Cairo. In Cairo, he maintained a second studio.

In 1881 he married Julia Maurokordato, with whom he had one child, daughter Catherine ( 1882-1948 ), which was the future wife of the writer Nikolaos Politis. Rallis wife died at the age of 29 years. Seven years later in 1888 he was a second marriage with Maria Mauromichalis. This marriage failed but after a short time.

At the suggestion of his friend Demetrius vikelas, the then President of the IOC, he exhibited his works for the first time in 1896 during the Olympic Games of Athens, also in Greece. In the following years, further exhibitions of his paintings in Greece, Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and particularly in France.

Works

Like his teacher Gérôme to Ralli deal mainly with themes of the Orient, the anmuteten exotic in the eyes of the then European. Nevertheless, these works show scenes of contemporary East and not about another long-ago era. They are characterized by their high realism and authenticity. In addition to its oriental plants, they Ralli also dealt with religious themes like the orthodox Hellenism, in which he presented the people with a partially tending to Romanticism unique piety and innocence. In one of his most famous works, the image formed in 1905, the booty, he addressed the difficult lives of Orthodox Christians in the Muslim Turkey. Ralli has also painted portraits, where his most famous is the work of Medea.

Gallery

The Greek beauty, about 1890

Child hiding behind an Egyptian sculpture

The prey, circa 1905