Emmanuel Zairis Greek, 1871-1948

A powerful yet unsentimental comment on the condition of the working classes, the present work is a prime example of Zairis's work. Depicting a woodcutter's moment of rest, the present work, through its monumentality, lends a degree of heroism to the scene, celebrating man's toil, while at the same time capturing the man's fatigue and vulnerability.  

In 1894 Zairis became a pupil of Nicholas Gysis at the Munich Academy. He stayed in the Bavarian capital until 1932 and during this time participated in nearly all the exhibitions at the Glaspalast, where he won a gold medal in 1913. Having returned to Greece he became head of the School of Fine Arts on Mykonos. He had a large retrospective exhibition at Zappeion Hall in 1934 and was one of the Greek representatives to the Venice Biennale in 1936.

Freeing himself from the academic doctrines of the Munich Academy, Zairis followed more progressive trends which held sway in Munich and arrived at a realistic depiction of scenes inspired by working class life, such as the present work. Rather than conform to a traditional rendition of space, Zairis creates depth that merges seamlessly into a flattened picture plane, out of which emerges the seated figure of the woodcutter. Illuminated from behind, the dark figure stands out and thus highlighted becomes the focal point of the composition, eliciting a strong visual, as well as emotional response.