SPYROS PAPALOUKAS | Mountain Village

Oil on a thin sheet of cardboard, fully laid on board. The board appears to be flat, even, and ensuring a stable support. There are signs of wear along the edges and scattered spots of paint flaking, also visible in the catalogue illustration, are visible notably in the sky. Some of the latter might benefit from some work of consolidation. Inspection under ultra-violet light reveals no visible sign of retouching. This work is overall in good condition and ready to hang. Presented glazed, in a simple gilt frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Combining post-Impressionist influences with the Byzantine iconographic tradition, Papaloukas created works that are highly personal and expressive. His canvases, artistic transmutations of the world around him, became a vehicle for expressing his artistic freedom and for translating into art a broader need for national self-affirmation common to many artist of the Generation of the Thirties in Greece. The interpretation of space, colour, light and tonal contrast were a particular concern for the artist. To Papaloukas, artistic creation centered on two elements: shape and colour, and he maintained that art meant 'interpreting the hidden connection between objects, the unity of the world, which it is the task of every artist and craftsman to comprehend and to make visible to others by means of its pure elements, that is to say, in the case of a painter by means of form and colour' (quoted by Marina Lambraki-Plaka in 'The Credo of Spyros Papaloukas', Zygos, Athens, 1983, pp. 49-50).