Description:
The inaugural exhibit in our newly constructed Makriyannis Wing featured a unique series of 24 watercolor paintings commissioned by the wing's namesake, Ioannis Makriyannis (1797-1864). Makriyannis was a general in the Greek War of Independence, and he commissioned the Spartan painter Dimitrios Zographos to create the paintings to illustrate his firsthand account of the war. The paintings combine both traditional and modern styles, utilizing vivid colors and rhythmic movement that resemble Greek folk art. Purchased in Rome in 1909 by John Gennadius, the paintings are now one of the highlights of the Gennadius Library’s collection. The catalogue of the exhibition, a copublication with Kapon Editions, includes detailed descriptions of each painting, as well as a series of essays on Makriyannis, Zographos, and their times.

Also available in modern Greek.

About the Author: Maria Georgopoulou is Director of the Gennadius Library of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens.