Cretan School describes an important school of icon painting, under the umbrella of post-Byzantine art, which flourished while Crete was under Venetian rule during the Late Middle Ages, reaching its climax after the Fall of Constantinople, becoming the central force in Greek painting during the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. The Cretan artists developed a particular style of painting under the influence of both Eastern and Western artistic traditions and movements; the most famous product of the school, El Greco, was the most successful of the many artists who tried to build a career in Western Europe, and also the one who left the Byzantine style farthest behind him in his later career.
The Heptanese school of painting succeeded the Cretan school as the leading school of Greek post-Byzantine painting after Crete fell to the Ottomans in 1669. Like the Cretan school, it combined Byzantine traditions with an increasing Western European artistic influence and also saw the first significant depiction of secular subjects. The school was based in the Ionian Islands, which were not part of Ottoman Greece, from the middle of the 17th century until the middle of the 19th century. The center of Greek art migrated urgently to the Ionian islands but countless Greek artists were influenced by the school including the ones living throughout the Greek communities in the Ottoman Empire and elsewhere in the world.
Panagiotis Doxaras (1662–1729) also known as Panayiotis Doxaras, was an author and painter. He was a prolific member of the Heptanese School. He was influenced by early members of the movement namely: Elias Moskos, Theodoros Poulakis, Stephanos Tzangarolas, Spyridon Sperantzas and Victor. The Heptanese School evolved during the Baroque period and continued into the Late Baroque or Rococo. Doxaras’s son Nikolaos Doxaras continued the artistic movement into the Neoclassical era. Both Panagiotis and his son Nikolaos Doxaras refined the school. The school was heavily influenced by the Venetian Style. The Heptanese School also influenced Italian painting. Other artists Doxaras influenced were Nikolaos Kantounis. Panagioti’s teacher was famous painter Leos Moskos. He studied with him while he was in Venice. Doxaras painted notable portraits of Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg. He introduced Maniera Italiana to the Heptanese School drastically changing the style from the Maniera Greca. He is considered the father of the Greek Rococo and the Modern Greek Enlightenment in art.
Theodore Poulakis was a Greek Renaissance painter and teacher. He is considered the father of the Heptanese School and one of the most prolific painters of Venetian Crete. Poulakis was a member of the Cretan School, his contemporary was Emmanuel Tzanes. Emmanuel Tzanes and Poulakis were active painters of the Cretan School until Candia, went to war with the Ottomans around 1649. Candia finally fell after twenty years of siege in 1669. Poulakis settled on the island of Corfu. Stephanos Tzangarolas was another famous painter in Corfu around the same period. Poulakis's works are likened to Andreas Pavias and Georgios Klontzas. Poulakis works exhibit qualities of the Venetian school. Over 130 of his paintings have survived and can be found all over the world.
Ilias or Elias Moskos was a Greek educator, shipping merchant and painter from Crete. The last name Moskos was associated with three famous painters of the Cretan School alive during the same period, along with Ioannis Moskos and Leos Moskos, possibly his relatives. Elias incorporated maniera greca with the Venetian style. Theodore Poulakis and Moskos brought the art and style of Crete into the Heptanese School of the Ionian Islands. Some of his work was inspired by Angelos Akotantos. He was affiliated with other artists such as Philotheos Skoufos. He is often confused with Leos Moskos. His son was not Ioannis Moskos although they were probably related. Elias most popular painting is Christ Pantocrator. Fifty-two of his paintings survived.
Ιoannis Apakas, also known as Johann Apakass was a Greek painter and priest. He was active in the latter part of the 16th century to the early 17th century. He was popular artist during his time.
Leo or Leos Moskos was a painter and educator. There were two other painters named Moskos active around the same period, Elias Moskos and Ioannis Moskos, who may have been his relatives. Indeed, Leo is often confused with Elias Moskos. Some of his work was inspired by Georgios Klontzas and Franghias Kavertzas. He traveled all over the Venetian Empire. Records indicate he traveled to Venice, Cephalonia, and Zakynthos His style resembled the Cretan School. He taught famous painter Panagiotis Doxaras. His most popular work is the Last Judgment. His paintings can be found all over the world. Twenty of his paintings have survived.
Ioannis Moskos was a Greek painter that migrated to Venice. Two other very famous painters with the name Moskos were active around the same period Elias Moskos and Leos Moskos. Leos Moskos frequently traveled all over the Venitian Empire and was in Venice around the same period as Ioannis. He is not Elias Moskos's son. The Moskos painters may have had some relationship but documentation is unavailable. Ioannis painted in the traditional maniera greca and the Venetian style. His art resembles Michael Damaskinos and Andreas Pavias. He was affiliated with the church of San Giorgio dei Greci. He left a huge assortment of paintings that can be found all over the world. His most popular work is The Crucifixion.
Emmanuel Lampardos, also known as Emmanouil Lampardos and Manolitzis. He was a Cretan Renaissance painter. Emmanuel and his nephew Emmanuel Lampardos have been very difficult to distinguish because they were active painters around the same period. Countless Greek and Italian artists emulated the famous painters. The name Lampardos was very notable in reference to Cretan art. The family was affiliated with famous painters Franghias Kavertzas and Tzortzi Papadopoulo. Lampardos emulated Georgios Klontzas, Michael Damaskinos, Angelos Akotantos, Andreas Pavias, Andreas Ritzos and Nikolaos Tzafouris. His style was the typical maniera greca with a strong Venetian influence. Countless images of the virgin and child have survived. Lampardos influenced Franghias Kavertzas, Emmanuel Tzanes, Philotheos Skoufos Elias Moskos, Leos Moskos, Ioannis Moskos and Emmanuel Tzanfournaris. Over fifty-six icons have been attributed to Lampardos.
Stephanos Tzangarolas also known as Stephano Tzangarola. He was a Greek painter during the late Cretan Renaissance. He migrated from Crete to the island of Corfu. He is a member of the Heptanese School and the Cretan Renaissance. His contemporaries at the time were Panagiotis Doxaras, Theodore Poulakis and Elias Moskos. His artwork began to reflect the transition of the classical maniera greca of Crete to the more refined style of the Ionian Islands. His style resembles the transition of Gentile da Fabriano and Fra Angelico from the maniera greca to their respective styles. Tzangarolas paintings influenced countless artists both Italian and Greek. Some artists that reflect his style include Spyridon Sperantzas and Georgios Kastrofylakas. His paintings can be found all over Greece mainly Athens and the Ionian Islands. Some of his work is in Cairo and London. His student was famous Greek painter Andreas Karantinos.
Nikolaos Kallergis, also known as Kalergis. He was a Greek painter during the Greek Rococo and the Modern Greek Enlightenment in art also known as Neo-Hellenikos Diafotismos. His art also exhibited Venetian influence. Painters of the maniera greca began to refine their art. Philotheos Skoufos, Elias Moskos, and Theodore Poulakis were all active painters on the Ionian Islands prior to Kallergis. They set the stage for the transition to the Heptanese School. Panagiotis Doxaras is the forefather of the new painting style. He was the father of Greek Rococo and the Modern Greek Enlightenment in painting. Kallergis became an active member of the school. Kallergis also represents the Greek Rococo. His art began to exhibit qualities of Greek and Italian Neoclassicism. His style influenced countless painters. Examples include Nikolaos Kantounis, Nikolaos Koutouzis, Nikolaos Doxaras, Spiridione Roma, and Eustathios Karousos. His most famous work is Christ and Angel it is at the Zakynthos Museum.
Emmanuel Skordilis, also known as Emmanouil Skordilis. He was a Greek Renaissance painter. He was active in Crete around the time Emmanuel Tzanes, Elias Moskos, and Philotheos Skoufos were painting in Crete. He belongs to the elite group of Greek painters that followed the Venetian influenced maniera greca in Crete. Sixty eight of his works survived. He is one of few artists to not travel to the Ionian Islands and participate in the Heptanese School. He eventually settled in the Cyclades on the inland of Milos. Christodoulos Kalergis is another prominent Greek artist associated with the Cyclades, he was from Mykonos. Skordilis was influenced by Georgios Klontzas, Michael Damaskinos and Angelos. Skordilis brought the artistic style of Crete to the Cyclades and influenced countless artists in that region.
Ioannis Tzen also known as Ioannis Dzenos, was a 17th-century Greek baroque painter. He was active on the Ionian islands and a prominent member of the local school. He also represented Crete towards the end of the Cretan School. His painting style reflects an affiliation with Emmanuel Tzanes. He was active on the island Corfu. Greek painters affiliated with the same island active during the same period were Theodore Poulakis, Stephanos Tzangarolas. Fifteen of his works have survived. His most notable work is a painting of the Virgin and Child.
The Vision of Constantine was an egg tempera painting created by Elias Moskos. Moskos was active during the 17th century. Fifty-two paintings are attributed to the artist. He was active on the Greek islands of Crete and Zakynthos. He is one of the few artists that belongs to the Cretan school and the Heptanese School. Constantine is one of the most important figures in the Christian religion. He was the first Roman emperor to accept the new faith. He has been depicted in art since the inception of the new religion. He is often depicted with his mother Helen. The Vision of Constantine was very popular in Greek and Italian art.
Christ Enthroned is a tempera painting by Elias Moskos, a representative of the Late Cretan School. The artist was also associated with the Heptanese School due to his migration to Zakinthos and the transition of his painting style. Moskos also taught painting. Most of his students became church committee members. Church committees were responsible for commissioning paintings. He was active from 1645 to 1687 on the islands of Crete, Zakynthos, and Kefalonia. Fifty-two of his works survived, over half of them were signed. Two other painters named Moskos were active during the same period Ioannis Moskos and Leos Moskos.
The Virgin and Child on Bronze is an egg tempera painting by Greek painter Elias Moskos. Moskos was originally from Crete. The painter migrated to Zakinthos. Two other painters with the name Moskos were active during his lifetime. They were Ioannis Moskos and Leos Moskos. All three painters were affiliated with Venice. Fifty-two of Elias's paintings survived. It is difficult to characterize the work of some painters belonging to the late Cretan School. Some artists also belong to the Heptanese School. The technical migration from the maniera Greca of Cretan-Venetian painting to the more refined Ionian-Venetian style is visible in the works of Elias Moskos and Theodoros Poulakis. His painting of the Virgin and Child drastically migrates from the traditional mannerism prevalent in Cretan painting. The painting clearly belongs to the Heptanese School. His painting of the Virgin and Child is at the Benaki Museum in Athens Greece.
The Virgin Glykofilousa with the Akathist Hymn is a tempera painting created by Greek painter Stephano Tzangarola. The work is a symbol of the craftsmanship of the Heptanese School and the evolution of Greek painting from the Byzantine style to the Cretan Renaissance style. Tzangarola was originally from Crete and migrated to Corfu. The Ionian Islands became the artistic center of the Greek world. He was active from 1675 to 1710 during the Greek Baroque period and Rococo. Twenty-two of his works survived. His student was famous Greek painter and Archpriest Andreas Karantinos.
Jacob’s Ladder is a tempera painting created by Elias Moskos. Elias was a Greek painter originally from the island of Crete. By the 1650s he was living on the island of Zakynthos. He also worked on the island of Kefalonia. There were two other painters active during his lifetime with the same last name. Ioannis Moskos and Leos Moskos. The painter was also a prominent teacher. He also had a sizable fortune. Fifty-two of his paintings survived. He represented the Cretan School and the Heptanese School. His works typically combine both schools. His work was heavily influenced by engravings from all over the world some were Flemish. His artistic activity ranged from 1629 to 1687. Most of his remaining works are in Greece and Italy.
The Holy Trinity is a tempera painting created by Spyridon Romas. He was a Greek painter from Corfu. He was a prominent member of the Heptanese School. He was active from 1745 to 1786. He traveled all over the world. He painted in Corfu, Lecce, Livorno, and London. According to the Hellenic Institute over 25 of his works survived. He is one of the few Greek painters to completely adopt a new style of painting. He traveled to London, England around 1770 and remained in the country until his death. He painted several portraits but also maintained artwork in the region. An iconostasis with most of his works is superlatively preserved in Livorno, Italy at the Museo della Città di Livorno.
The Virgin and Child Enthroned is a tempera painting created by Spyridon Romas. He was a Greek painter from the island of Corfu and a prominent member of the Heptanese School active from 1745 to 1786 in Corfu, Lecce, Livorno, and London. Twenty-five of his works survived according to research completed by the Hellenic Institute. One of few Greek painters that changed his style completely Romas transitioned from the Heptanese School to the British style of painting. He traveled to London, England around 1770, and remained in the country until his death. Romas painted several portraits but also maintained art. An important iconostasis containing most of his works is preserved in Livorno, Italy at the Museo della Città di Livorno.
