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.
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.
Emmanuel Tzanes, also known as BounialisEmmanuel Tzane-Bounialis, Emmanuel Zane, and Emmanuel Tzane, was a Greek Renaissance painter, author, clergyman, and educator. He spent the latter half of his life in Venice, where he was parish priest of the church of San Giorgio dei Greci and a member of the Flanginian School run by the city's Greek Confraternity. Tzanes painted in the style of the Cretan School, influenced by contemporary trends in Venetian painting. His known extant works, over 130 in number, can be found in public foundations, private collections, churches and monasteries in Greece. The most popular of these is The Holy Towel, finished in 1659. Tzanes was a collaborator with Philotheos Skoufos, and brothers with the painter Konstantinos Tzanes and the poet Marinos Tzanes.
Nikolaos Doxaras. He was a Greek painter and teacher. His father was famous painter Panagiotis Doxaras. Panagiotis Doxaras was the father of the Greek Rococo and the Modern Greek Enlightenment in art. They are both prominent members of the Heptanese School. They refined Greek art bringing the Maniera Greca into the Maniera Italiana. Artists he influenced include: Nikolaos Kantounis, Nikolaos Koutouzis and Gerasimos Pitsamanos. His influence can be seen in some of Nikolaos Kantounis's paintings notably The Assumption. Nikolaos taught famous painter Nikolaos Koutouzis. Both Nikolaos Koutouzis and Doxaras artistic style refined the art of the Ionian Islands. Venetian painting influenced countless Greek artists who were living in the empire. From Michael Damaskinos to Theodore Poulakis. Twenty years after Nikolaos's death the style came to an end due to the Fall of the Republic of Venice. A new artistic style developed after the Greek Rococo which coincided with Neoclassicism in the rest of Europe called the middle Modern Greek Enlightenment in art also known as Neo-Hellenikos Diafotismos.
Spiridione Roma, also known as Spiridon or Spyridon Romas, was a Greek painter from Corfu. He was a prominent member of the Heptanese school. His contemporary was Spyridon Sperantzas. He was another painter from Corfu. He also painted all over Italy and settled in Triste. Romas painted on the Ionian Islands, Sicily, and Livorno before settling in England. He was one of the few Greek painters to travel to a foreign country outside of the Greek or Italian world. The other two were El Greco and Efstathios Altinis. He was also a British painter during the last decades of his life. He was active in the region from 1770 to 1786. According to the Hellenic Institute, over twenty-five of his works survived. He was the British El Greco. His most popular work is a painting entitled The East Offering its Riches to Britannia.
Nikolaos Koutouzis, or Koutousis was a Greek painter, poet and priest. He was part of the Heptanese School, but also a member of the Modern Greek Enlightenment in art. His teacher was the painter Nikolaos Doxaras. Koutouzis has 136 paintings attributed to him. He was one of the last Greek painters to incorporate the Venetian style during its decline, due to the Fall of the Republic of Venice. He was the teacher of Nikolaos Kantounis, who was heavily influenced by his style.
Nikolaos Kantounis or Kandounis was a Greek priest, painter and teacher who did not follow the traditional Maniera Greca. His teacher was the famous painter Nikolaos Koutouzis. He began to incorporate the Maniera Italiana into the Heptanese School. Kantounis, Panagiotis Doxaras, Nikolaos Doxaras and Koutouzis were all prolific members of that school. Kantounis was one of the most important painters in the Neoclassical Period in Greece. He was a representative of the middle to late Modern Greek Enlightenment in Greek art. Over 164 of his paintings have survived. He is known for painting many portraits. Some of his works resemble the style of Nikolaos Doxaras. He was also a member of the secret organization for Greek Independence called the Filiki Eteria.
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.
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.
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.
Spyridon Sperantzas was a Greek painter. He flourished during the Greek Neoclassical era and the Modern Greek Enlightenment in art also known as Neo-Hellenikos Diafotismos. Because of the Fall of the Republic of Venice, Sperantzas brought the Heptanese School into the Greek Romantic period. By the 1800s the Ionian Islands were occupied by both French and English forces and for the first time since the fall of the Byzantine Empire, the local Greeks governed themselves. Sperantzas, Nikolaos Kantounis, and Nikolaos Koutouzis represent the transition in painting that defined Modern Greek art. Sperantzas was influenced by Nikolaos Kallergis, Nikolaos Doxaras, and Nikolaos Koutouzis. His son Michael Sperantzas was also a famous painter and his apprentice. Spyridon also painted frescos.
Stylianos Stavrakis, was a Greek painter during the Neo-Hellenic Enlightenment era in art. He was a goldsmith and painter. He was very active on the Ionian Islands. Nikolaos Koutouzis, Nikolaos Doxaras and Nikolaos Kallergis were all active in Zakynthos during the same period. He is a prominent member of the coveted Heptanese painting style. He comes from a family of painters. His brother Andreas Stavrakis and nephew Demetrios Stavrakis were both famous painters. He influenced countless artists. Konstantinos Kontarinis and other artists of the Ionian Islands began to emulate his work. His most notable work is The Deposition from the Cross (Stavrakis). Fourteen of his paintings survived. Most of them can be found in Zakynthos, Greece.
Ioannis Korais was a Greek painter. He was a prominent member of the Heptanese School. His contemporaries were Nikolaos Doxaras and Nikolaos Koutouzis. His family was from the island of Chios. He was the grandson of the painter Michael Korais from Chios. He helped revolutionize Greek painting. He was a follower of Panagiotis Doxaras and the new techniques he was employing.
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.
Lamentation of Christ is an oil painting created by Greek painter Nikolaos Kantounis. He was a painter and teacher. He was a priest. His teachers were famous painters Ioannis Korais and Nikolaos Koutouzis He was a representative of the Heptanese School. His artwork was created during the Neoclassical and Romantic periods in Greek art. He was active on the island of Zakynthos from 1782–1834. He was one of the earliest members of the modern Greek art period. Over 164 of his paintings have survived. He is known for painting many portraits. He was a member of the secret organization for Greek Independence called the Filiki Eteria. Towards the end of his life he was honored with the rank of Grand Sakellarios.
Angel Holding the Body of Christ was a work of art created by Greek painter Nikolaos Kallergis. Kallergis was born in Zakynthos. His family was originally from Crete. His father was a painter. Nikolaos was active from 1715–1747. He was a representative of the Heptanese school. His family owned a church on the island of Zakynthos and a massive library. The family was educated. According to the Institute of Neohellenic Research, thirty-two of his painting’s survived.
Saint Spyridon, John the Baptist, Saint Peter and Saint George is an oil painting created by Greek painter Nikolaos Koutouzis. He was a prominent member of the Heptanese School of painting. He was from the island of Zakynthos. He studied with Nikolaos Doxaras and Giovanni Tiepolo. He was an active painter for over fifty years. One hundred and thirty-six paintings are attributed to the artist. He was active from 1750 to 1813.
Tribute to the Eucharist was a painting made of egg tempera and gold leaf on a wood panel. The portable icon is attributed to Greek painter Michael Damaskinos. Damaskino's existing catalog features over 100 known works. He was a member of the Cretan school of painting. He was from the island of Crete. His contemporaries were Georgios Klontzas and El Greco. Damaskinos traveled all over Italy for over twenty years. He spent a significant amount of time in Venice. He adopted Italian mannerisms. He applied these new attributes to his paintings. He was friends with sculptor Alessandro Vittoria. He had a collection of drawings obtained from other Italian artists. Namely the Mannerist Parmigianino. He was also exposed to the magnificent works of Italian painter Raphael.
