A talk by Dr Nikoleta Tzani (Giorgio de Chirico Art Centre, Volos)

The lecture examines the formative influence that the Byzantine revival, the cultural phenomenon of the so-called “Byzantinism,” had on the Greek artistic production at the end of the 19th and the first half of 20th century. It traces the gradual shift from the rejection of Byzantine traditions to the positive reappraisal of Byzantine artistic achievements both in Europe and Greece. Through analyses of selected artworks by painters such as Gyzis, Parthenis, Contoglou and Engonopoulos, the lecture situates the interest of Greek artists, who lived and studied in Europe, within the general aesthetic and artistic discourse of Modernism.

807 Schermerhorn Hall, Columbia University
*Reception will follow