Nikolaos Lytras Greek, 1883-1927

Together with Constantinos Parthenis and Constantinos Maleas, Nikolaos Lytras is considered to be a pioneer of twentieth-century Greek painting. Like many of his contemporaries, he studied at the Munich academy under Ludwig von Löfftz and Karl von Piloty.  The son of Munich master Nikiforos Lytras, Nikolaos Lytras created an aesthetic bridge between romanticism and modernism in Greek painting.

"An ability to mould his knowledge of contemporary avant-garde currents from abroad and his excellent technique into an idiom of form entirely his own, enabled him to reach great heights. His oeuvre is characterised by the imposition of colour on form and of the internal element on the external. Lytras opened new pathways and attracted a coterie of younger artists who strove to release Greek painting from the formula of the past" (Chrisanthos Christou, The National Gallery: 19^th and 20^th Century Greek Paintings, Athens, 1992, p. 20).

Lytras' absorption of continental influences led to a studied avoidance of references to Hellenic tradition. The broad free brushstrokes and vigorous colouring of the present work exhibits the highly expressive use of pigment and non-illusionistic space that defined Lytras' style.

In 1914 Lytras took part in a group exhibition with Gerassimos Dialismas in Corfu. The painting in our sale was most likely painted prior to that exhibition circa 1905-1910.

The present work will be included in the forthcoming monograph on Nikolaos Lytras currently being prepared by the Hellenic Literary and Historical Archive (E.L.I.A.).