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.
The Eleusa is a type of depiction of the Virgin Mary in icons in which the Christ Child is nestled against her cheek. In the Western Church the type is often known as the Virgin of Tenderness.
The Church of Panagia Kera is a Cretan Byzantine church, located 1 km from the village of Kritsa, in the Dikte Mountains. It contains the finest-preserved Byzantine-era frescoes in Crete, and for that reason, has become one of the most culturally and historically significant churches on the island.
Spyridon Ventouras also known as Spyridon Venturas. He was a Greek painter, professor and architect. He was a prominent member of the Heptanese School. He represented the art of Lefkada. Many Greek painters were associated with the island namely: Konstantinos Kontarinis, Stylianos Devaris, Spyridon Maratzos, and Makarios Lefkas. Other active painters of the Heptanese School during the same period were Nikolaos Koutouzis and Nikolaos Kantounis. The Greek community was undergoing the Neo-Hellenikos Diafotismos in art. Ventouras influenced countless artists both Greek and Italian. The painting of John Chrysostom, Criticizing Empress Eudoxia was copied by many painters from the region. Some of the artists were Makarios Lefkas and Stylianos Devaris. Ventouras also painted his own version. According to the Institute of Neohellenic Research, over sixty of his paintings have survived, five of them were notable portraits. His most notable work was a Portrait of Ali Paschi.
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.
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.
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.
Andreas Karantinos, also known as Andreas Karandinos. He was Greek Renaissance painter, educator and goldsmith. He was from Kefalonia. He was a member of the Heptanese School. His artwork is reflective of the time period. His teacher was famous painter Stephanos Tzangarolas. He adapted his style. Karandinos also emulated the Cretan masters such as Michael Damaskinos. Many Greek painters emulated one other. Karandinos also taught famous Greek painter Konstantinos Kokkinos and several others. Many of his works are in Greece mostly on the island of Kefalonia. Twenty two of his work survived and one fresco. The fresco is of the Second Coming or the Last Judgement. The fresco is located in the church of Evagelastria in Kastro Kefalonia.
Efstathios Karousos also known as Eustathios Karousos, Efstathio Karousou (Greek: Ευστάθιο Καρουσου, Eustacchio Caruso and Eustachio Caruso. He was a Greek painter and writer. He is one of the elite painters from the island of Cephalonia. Other painters from the same region around the same period included Andreas Karantinos and Gerasimos Pitsamanos. He was active in Cephalonia, Naples, Trieste, and other parts of Italy. Some of his paintings have survived. He is one of few Greek painters to have worked and lived outside of the Venetian Empire. Both Karousos and Belisario Corenzio were active painters in Naples. Some of his work emulated the typical Heptanese School. According to the Institute of Neohellenic Research, forty-nine of his works survived. Thirty-eight of his works are in the church Santi Pietro e Paolo dei Greci.
Konstantinos Kontarinis, also known as Konstantino Kontarini, was a Greek Baroque painter of the Heptanese School. He was heavily influenced by the works of Theodore Poulakis. His contemporaries at the time were Stephano Tzangarola and Panagiotis Doxaras. His work signals a transition for the Cretan School to the more refined Heptanese School. Kontarinis clearly follows the traditional maniera greca. The art was heavily influenced by the Venetian style. He influenced the works of countless Greek and Italian painters namely Spyridon Sperantzas and Nikolaos Kallergis. According to the Institute of Neohellenic Research, eighty-five of his works survived. His most notable work is the portable icon consisting of Scenes from Genesis. It is featured at the Byzantine Museum Athens, Greece.
Demetrios Nomikos was a Greek painter, goldsmith, and priest. He shared the same last name with other famous Greek painters. Georgios Nomikos, Demetrios Nomikos and his brother Nicholas Nomikos. He is one of the early representatives of the Heptanese School of painting. He was active during the Greek Baroque and Rococo. He worked with notable Greek painter Antonios Notaras. Konstantinos Kontarinis, Stylianos Stavrakis and Nikolaos Kallergis were active on the same islands around the same period. Nomikos was a master gilder. According to the Institute of Neohellenic Research, five of his works survived. His most notable works are at the Loverdos Museum.
The Virgin Nikopoios also known as Panagia Nikopoios is a tempera painting by Thomas Bathas. Bathas was active in Heraklion, Venice, and Corfu during the second half of the 16th century. The painting follows the traditional Byzantine style characteristic of the traditional maniera greca. The painting also featured the Venetian style. The position of the Virgin and Child is the Nikopoios. The word Nicopeia is indicative of Constantinople. There are actually many different types.
In Thee Rejoiceth also known as Epi Si Harri is a tempera and gold leaf painting by Theodore Poulakis. The central figure of the piece is the Virgin Mary. The painting is a tribute to her. Poulakis was from Chania Crete. He was active on the Ionian islands and in Venice during the second half of the 17th century. He was a member of the Cretan School and the father of the Heptanese School. According to the Institute of Neohellenic Research, 130 paintings are attributed to Poulakis.
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.
Jesus Hominum Salvator is a tempera painting by Andreas Ritzos. Ritzos was one of the founders of the Cretan School of painting. His teacher was Angelos Akotantos. Andreas Ritzos was active from 1436 to 1492. He painted in the traditional Greek-Italian Byzantine style combined with Italian Renaissance Venetian painting. The technique later became known as the maniera greca. Sixty of his works survived.
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.
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.
