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.
Michael Damaskenos or Michail Damaskenos was a leading post-Byzantine Cretan painter. He is a major representative of the Cretan School of painting that flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries. Painters Georgios Klontzas and Damaskenos were major contributors to the Cretan School during the same period. Damaskinos traveled all over the Venetian Empire painting. He remained loyal to his Greek roots stylistically but incorporated some Italian elements in his work. He was strongly influenced by the Venetian school. He painted parts of the Cathedral of San Giorgio dei Greci. Damaskenos has 100 known works. He influenced the works of Theodore Poulakis.
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.
Mary Magdalene is a tempera painting by Konstantinos Tzanes. Tzanes was a Greek painter active during the late Cretan Renaissance. Tzanes and his brothers migrated from Crete to Venice. His brother was famous painter Emmanuel Tzanes. They were both active during the 17th century. Twenty-one of his paintings survived. Both brothers uniquely contributed to the maniera greca. They made drastic improvements to the style redefining space and color. Their work is comparable to Michael Damaskinos.
The Crucifixion is an egg tempera painting created by Ioannis Moskos. Moskos was a Greek painter originally from Crete. He migrated to Venice. Two other painters named Moskos were active during the same period. Their names were Elias Moskos and Leos Moskos. Leos and Ioannis were both in Venice during the same period. Ioannis was a member of the Late Cretan School. He was active from 1650 to 1721. Forty-four of his paintings survived.
The Crucifixion is a painting created by Georgio Markazini. Markazini was a Greek painter from the island of Crete. He migrated to Venice. He was active during the middle part of the 17th century. Two of the painter's works survived. The crucifixion was a very popular subject among Cretan painters. Andreas Pavias, Emmanuel Lambardos, and Theophanes the Cretan created a similar style crucifixion. The Cretan painters frequently influenced each other.
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.
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 Prophet Jonah was a tempera painting created by Demetrios Stavrakis. He was a Greek painter representing the Heptanese School. His nickname was Romanos. He was active during the 18th century. He flourished on the island of Zakynthos. He was the nephew of Stylianos Stavrakis and Andreas Stavrakis. Both were famous painters. He thrived during the Greek Rococo and Neoclassical eras in Greek art. Fifteen of his works survived.
The Archangel Michael was created by Greek painter Theodore Poulakis. He was also a teacher. He was affiliated with Greek painter Philotheos Skoufos. Poulakis was active on the Ionian Islands and Venice. He studied painting in Venice for over a decade. He was also involved with Venetian politics. He was a member of the quarantia. He was a representative of two schools, the Cretan School and Heptanese School. He is considered one of the founding members of the Heptanese School along with Elias Moskos. One hundred thirty of his paintings survived.
The Fall of Man is a tempera painting by Theodore Poulakis. Poulakis was a Greek Baroque artist. He was a painter and teacher. He flourished during the Late Cretan School and the Heptanese School. He is often regarded as the father of the Heptanese School. His painting career was from 1635 to 1692. He was living in Venice at the age of 24. He mastered painting while he lived in the city. He was involved in the quarantia. He traveled all over the Ionian Islands and eventually settled on the island of Corfu. He also frequently returned to Venice. Over 130 of his paintings have survived. They can be found in Greece and Italy.
The Miracle of the Holy Belt was completed by Theodore Poulakis. He was a Greek painter originally from the village of Chania, Crete. He was associated with the Cretan School. He eventually migrated to the Ionian Islands. He was a member of the Heptanese School. He settled on the island of Corfu. He was a famous teacher. He signed a six-year contract to teach painting to Marinos Damistras son Tzorzi. The contract stipulated that his student had to follow him to Venice. Poulakis frequently traveled all over the Venetian Empire. During one period of his life, he stayed in Venice for over 13 years. He was very active within the painting community. He was also involved with the prestigious quarantia council. One hundred thirty of his work survived.
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.
Assumption of Mary was a painting created by Greek painter Nikolaos Doxaras. He was the son of famous Greek painter Panagiotis Doxaras. Nikolaos flourished on the Ionian Islands. He was a representative of the Heptanese School. He traveled all of the Ionian Islands painting. He spent close to a decade in Venice. He had a relationship with Johann Schulenberg. Doxaras stayed with him from 1730 to 1738 at the Palazzo Loredan. He was his confidant at the Schulenburg Art Gallery. He also painted for Schulenburg. He left Venice and continued painting all over the Ionian islands until his death. He was active from 1725 to 1775. Five of his paintings survived. Both Nikolaos and his father attempted to popularize oil painting.
The Holy Towel is a tempera painting completed in 1659 by Emmanuel Tzanes. He was a representative of the Late Cretan School and the Heptanese School. His brothers were the painter and poet Marinos Tzanes and the painter Konstantinos Tzanes. One hundred thirty works of art are attributed to Emmanuel. He is one of the most important Greek painters of the 17th century along with Theodoros Poulakis. He was from Rethymno Crete. He was active from 1625 to 1690. He was the priest of San Giorgio dei Greci in Venice for thirty years.
Adoration of the Shepherds is a tempera painting created by Greek painter Stephanos Tzangarolas. The painter was originally from Crete. He was a member of a wealthy Cretan family. He was a teacher and priest. He signed most of his works. He migrated to Corfu. His work period was from 1675 to 1710. He was active during the Greek Baroque period. 22 of his works survived. He was a prominent member of the Heptanese School.
Entry of Christ into Jerusalem or Veoforos is a tempera painting created by Efstathios Karousos. He was a Greek painter. He was a prominent member of the Heptanese School. He was from Kefalonia. He was active in Kefalonia, Naples, Triste and Venice. He is the second Greek painter associated with Naples the other was Belisario Corenzio. Both painters were affiliated with Santi Pietro e Paolo dei Greci. Karouso's artistic period was from 1750 to 1818. Thirty-eight of his works survived. Most of his works are in the church Santi Pietro e Paolo dei Greci.
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas is a tempera painting created by Greek painter Emmanuel Tzanes. Tzanes features a catalog of artwork numbering over one hundred works. He was one of the most prolific artists of the 1600s painting in Crete, Corfu, and Venice. His two brothers Marinos Tzanes and Konstantinos Tzanes were also famous painters but Marinos is more well known for his famous poem The Cretan War Ο Κρητικός Πόλεμος. All three artists were members of the Late Cretan School and early Heptanese School (painting) they were known for participating in the movement that integrated Flemish engravings into the Greek and Italian art world.
