Icon painted by Emmanuel Tzanes Bounialis, a 17th century Cretan artist (Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Museum, Athens)

The term Cretan School describes an important school of icon painting, also known as 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. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the The Most Serene Republic of Venice ((Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta or Repùblica de Venesia Serenissima Repubblica The Fall of Constantinople refers to the capture of the Byzantine Empire's capital by the Ottoman Empire on Tuesday May 29, 1453 (Julian Calendar As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar 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 furthest behind him in his later career. El Greco' ("The Greek " 1541 &ndash April 7 1614 was a painter, sculptor, and architect of the Spanish Renaissance

15th century

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There was a substantial demand for Byzantine icons in Europe throughout the Middle Ages and, as a Venetian possession since 1204, Crete had a natural advantage and soon came to dominate the supply. Greece has a rich and varied artistic history spanning some 5000 years Cycladic art is the art and sculpture of the ancient Cycladic civilization, existing in the islands of the Aegean Sea from 3300 - 2000 BCE. The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age civilization which arose on the island of Crete. Mycenaean Greece is a cultural period of ancient Greece taking its name from the archaeological site of Mycenae in northeastern Argolis, in the Peloponnese The art of ancient Greece has exercised an enormous influence on the culture of many countries from ancient times until the present particularly in the areas of Sculpture The archaic period in Greece ( 750 BC 480 BC) is a period of Ancient Greek history In the context of the art architecture and culture of Ancient Greece, the classical period corresponds to most of the 5th and 4th centuries The Art of the Hellenistic period has long been the victim of the relative disdain attached to the period Roman Greece is the period of Greek history (of Greece proper as opposed to the other centers of Hellenism in the Roman world following the Roman victory over Greco-Buddhist art is the artistic manifestation of Greco-Buddhism, a cultural Syncretism between the Classical Greek culture and Buddhism Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire from about the 4th century until the Fall of Constantinople Macedonian art (sometimes called the Macedonian Renaissance) was a period in Byzantine art which Most of Greece was part of the Ottoman Empire from the 14th century until its declaration of independence in 1821. The Heptanese School of painting ( Επτανησιακή Σχολή, literally The School of the seven islands also known as the Ionian Islands' School Modern Greek Art is the term used to describe Greek art during the period between the emergence of the new independent Greek state and the 20th century The Munich School ( Σχολή του Μονάχου) or Academic realism is the most important artistic movement of Greek Art in the 19th century with Contemporary Greek Art is defined as the art produced by Greek artists after World War II. Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the A probable early example is the famous icon of the Virgin in Rome known as Our Mother of Perpetual Help, which was certainly well-known in Rome by 1499. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Our Mother of Perpetual Help (or of Succour) or Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary, associated with a Byzantine At this date there is little to distinguish Cretan work from other Byzantine icons stylistically, and the quality of work is lower than that associated with Constantinople. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS

This period also saw considerable numbers of wall-paintings in local churches and monasteries - altogether some 850 from the 14th and 15th centuries survive in Crete, far more than from earlier or later periods. ^[1].

By the late 15th century, Cretan artists had established a distinct icon-painting style, distinguished by "the precise outlines, the modelling of the flesh with dark brown underpaint and dense tiny highlights on the cheeks of the faces, the bright colours in the garments, the geometrical treatment of the drapery, and, finally the balanced articulation of the composition" ^[2], or "sharp contours, slim silhouettes, linear draperies and restrained movements". ^[3] The most famous artist of the period was Andreas Ritzos (c. 1421-1492), whose son Nicholas was also well-known. Angelos Akotantos, until recently thought to be a conservative painter of the 17th century, is now, after the discovery of a will dated 1436, seen to have been an innovative artist in fusing Byzantine and Western styles, who survived until about 1457, when the will was actually registered. Interestingly, the will was made in anticipation of a voyage to Constantinople; several icons were bequeathed to church institutions, some Catholic but mainly Orthodox, and the disposition of his stock of pattern drawings was carefully specified. ^[4] Andreas Pavias (d. after 1504) and his pupil Angelos Bizamanos, and Nicholas Tzafuris (d. before 1501) were other leading artists. ^[5]

Even before the fall of Constantinople there is evidence that leading Byzantine artists were leaving the capital in order to settle in Crete. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire from about the 4th century until the Fall of Constantinople The migration of Byzantine artists to Crete continued increasingly the next years and reached its peak after the fall of Constantinople in 1453, when Crete became "the most important centre of art in the Greek world", influencing artistic developments in the rest of the Greek world. Cretan icons were commissioned for monasteries on Mount Athos and elsewhere. Mount Athos (Όρος Άθως is a mountain on the Peninsula of the same name in Macedonia, of northern Greece, called in Greek Άγιον ^[6]. The Cretan school had a smaller rival; until it fell to the Turks in 1522, Rhodes also had a community of artists, but not so large or significant. Rhodes (Ρόδος Ródos, ˈɾo̞ðo̞s Rodi ردوس Rodos; Ladino: Rodi or Rodes) is a Greek island ^[7].

Our Mother of Perpetual Help, probably an early Cretan work, 13th or 14th century. Our Mother of Perpetual Help (or of Succour) or Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary, associated with a Byzantine Certainly in Rome by 1499

The Venetian archives preserve considerable documentation on the trade of artistic icons between Venice and Crete, which by the end of the 15th century had become one of mass production. There is documentation of a specific order in 1499, of 700 icons of the Virgin, 500 in a Western style, and 200 in Byzantine style. The order was placed with three artists by two dealers, one Venetian and one from mainland Greece, and the time between contract date and delivery was set at only forty-five days. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Probably the quality of many such commissioned icons was fairly low, and the dismissive term Madonneri was devised to describe such bulk painters, who later practised in Italy also, often using a quasi-Byzantine style, and apparently often Greek or Dalmatian individuals. Production of icons at these levels seems to have led to a glut in the market, and in the following two decades there is much evidence that the Cretan trade declined significantly, as the European demand had been reduced ^[8]. But at the top end of the market Cretan icons were now the finest in the Byzantine world.

16th century

The Dormition of the Virgin (before 1567, tempera and gold on panel, 61,4 x 45 cm, Holy Cathedral of the Dormition of the Virgin, Hermoupolis, Syros) was probably created near the end of El Greco's Cretan period. The Dormition of the Virgin is a painting by the Cretan master El Greco, probably created near the end of the artist's Cretan period (before 1567 Tempera (also known as egg tempera) is a type of artist's Paint and associated art techniques that were known from the classical world where it appears See also Hermopolis (disambiguation for other uses Ermoupoli ( Greek: Ερμούπολη Ermoúpoli) also known with its formal name as Syros (Σύρος or Siros or Syra is a Greek island in the Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea. The painting combines post-Byzantine and Italian mannerist stylistic and iconographic elements, and incorporates stylistic elements of the Cretan School.

About 120 artists can be documented working in Candia (the Venetian name of Chandax, present day Herakleion), in the period 1453-1526, and they had organized a Schuola di San Luca painter's guild, based on the Italian model. Heraklion or Iraklion (Ηράκλειο Irákleio, iˈɾaklio̞ Candia is the largest city and capital of Crete. Heraklion or Iraklion (Ηράκλειο Irákleio, iˈɾaklio̞ Candia is the largest city and capital of Crete. The Guild of Saint Luke was the most common name for a city Guild for painters and other artists in Early modern Europe, especially in the Low Countries ^[9] The blending of the Eastern and the Western traditions, and a relaxed interchange between Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic rites led to the "Cretan Renaissance", a golden period for the arts on the island, where both literature and painting flourished. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world The term Cretan School describes an important school of Icon painting also known as Post-Byzantine art, which flourished while Crete was under Venetian Some of these painters chose to continue the Byzantine tradition of Constantinople, while others were influenced by the masters of the Venetian Renaissance, such as Giovanni Bellini and Titian. Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire from about the 4th century until the Fall of Constantinople Giovanni Bellini (c 1430 – 1516 was an Italian Renaissance painter probably the best known of the Bellini family of Venetian painters Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c 1485 &ndash August 27 1576 better known as Titian, was the leading painter of the 16th-century Venetian ^[10] Later Veronese was to be a particular influence. Works by these masters or copies were in monasteries and churches of the island, while examples of Early Netherlandish painting decorated the Catholic churches of Candia or were to be found in the private collections of rich Venetians and Greeks. Early Netherlandish painting is the work of those painters who were active in the Low Countries during the 15th and early 16th century Northern renaissance Heraklion or Iraklion (Ηράκλειο Irákleio, iˈɾaklio̞ Candia is the largest city and capital of Crete. ^[11] In particular, Candia contained a large Franciscan church and a large Orthodox monastery, a daughter-house of St. Catherine's, Sinai, both of which had strong collections from their respective traditions. Saint Catherine's Monastery ( Greek:) on the Sinai Peninsula, at the mouth of an inaccessible gorge at the foot of Mount Sinai in Egypt is one

Contemporary documents refer to two styles in painting: the maniera greca (alla greca, in line with the Byzantine idiom) and the maniera latina (alla latina, in accordance with Western techniques), which artists knew and utilized according to the circumstances; as a result some kind of "eclecticism" appeared. Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single Paradigm or set of assumptions but instead draws upon multiple theories styles or ideas to ^[12] Indeed, sometimes both styles could be found in the same icon, the one right next to the other. ^[11] The fame of the most prominent Cretan painters spread throughout Greece, the Mediterranean and Europe. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία After the beginning of the 16th century the Cretan artists once again had more commissions and their works were avidly sought, since they had started to use new motives and to adjust their iconography to the new trends of their era. To an extent quantity was probably replaced by quality compared with the previous century.

Michael Damaskenos

Two styles in the work of Michael Damaskenos Michael Damaskenos Icon of the Holy Liturgy - an essentially Orthodox composition, though showing Western stylistic influence A martyrdom scene by Michael Damaskenos, conceived in a wholly Venetian style. Michael Damaskenos or Michail Damaskenos (Greek 1530/35-1592/93 was a leading post-Byzantine Cretan painter of the 16th century AD Michael Damaskenos or Michail Damaskenos (Greek 1530/35-1592/93 was a leading post-Byzantine Cretan painter of the 16th century AD

Sixteenth century artists

Further information: El Greco

Apart from El Greco, the most famous Cretan artists during the century were Theophanis Strelitzas (Θεοφάνης Στρελίτζας), known as Theophanes the Cretan, Michael Damaskenos (Μιχαήλ Δαμασκηνός), and Georgios Klontzas (Γεώργιος Κλόντζας). El Greco' ("The Greek " 1541 &ndash April 7 1614 was a painter, sculptor, and architect of the Spanish Renaissance For the Byzantine icon painter who worked in Muscovy, see Theophanes the Greek. Michael Damaskenos or Michail Damaskenos (Greek 1530/35-1592/93 was a leading post-Byzantine Cretan painter of the 16th century AD ^[10] Various members of the Lambardos family were also significant artists. Fortunately for art historians, many Cretan painters adopted the practice, perhaps as early as Western painters, of signing their work, which was not a traditional Byzantine practice. ^[13]

El Greco The intellectual and artistic personality of the young El Greco was formed in this artistic environment. El Greco' ("The Greek " 1541 &ndash April 7 1614 was a painter, sculptor, and architect of the Spanish Renaissance In 1563, at the age of twenty-two, El Greco was described in a document as a "master" ("maestro Domenigo"), meaning he was already an enrolled master of the local guild, presumably in charge of his own workshop. ^[14]

Migration of Cretan artists During the second half of the sixteenth century, many Cretan artists went to Venice, in the hope of gaining commissions and recognition. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the Unlike El Greco, the other Cretan painters who moved there did not substantially alter their styles or working methods. They simply incorporated more Italian motifs into a consistent Byzantine framework. Jonathan Brown provides a perceptive analysis of the ways that El Greco distinguished himself from other Cretan artists active in Venice, while Richard Mann argues that "none of these painters accepted Renaissance ideas about the relevance of change to the creation of art works". Jonathan Brown may refer to Jonathan Brown (footballer (born 1981 Australian football player Jonathan Brown (football player (born ^[15] Michael Damaskenos returned to Crete after three years, and remained there for the rest of his life.

17th century Crucifixion by Emmanuel Lambardos

17th century

Main article: Heptanese School

Prominent representatives of the Cretan School during the 17th century were Father Emmanuel Tzanes (Εμμανουήλ Τζάνες, 1610-1690), Emmanuel Lambardos and Theodoros Poulakis (Θεόδωρος Πουλάκης, 1622-1692). Crucifixion (from Latin crucifixio, noun of process crucifixio, from perfect passive participle crucifixus, fixed to a cross from The Heptanese School of painting ( Επτανησιακή Σχολή, literally The School of the seven islands also known as the Ionian Islands' School As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar Emmanuel Tzanes (b1637-d1694 was a Greek Renaissance painter He was born in Crete and migrated to Venice where he did most of his work The Cretan icon painters continued to flourish, until the mid-century, when the Ottoman Turks occupied all the island except for Candia, which finally fell after twenty years of siege in 1669^[16]. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish After the Ottoman occupation of Crete, the centre of Greek painting moved to the Ionian Islands, which remained under Venetian rule until the Napoleonic Wars. This article is about the group of islands west of Greece For the ancient region in western Anatolia see Ionia. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions A new artistic movement was created called the School of the Ionian islands which was mostly influenced by Western European artistic trends. The Heptanese School of painting ( Επτανησιακή Σχολή, literally The School of the seven islands also known as the Ionian Islands' School Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' Many Cretan artists migrated to the Heptanese or Western Europe to enjoy the artistic freedom. Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' A successive occupation of the Ionian islands by the French and the British allowed the Heptanese to remain the centre of Greek Art until the independence of Greece in 1830. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This article is about the group of islands west of Greece For the ancient region in western Anatolia see Ionia. Greece has a rich and varied artistic history spanning some 5000 years For the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display

See also

• Byzantine scholars in Renaissance
• Renaissance
• National Gallery (Athens)

External links

• National Gallery of Athens
• Nano Hatzidakis: Velimezis Icon Collection
• Giorgios Klontzas icon in Philadelphia

Citations

References

General School

• Various authors:From Byzantium to El Greco, Athens 1987, Byzantine Museum of Arts
• Chatzidakis, Manolis, in The Icon, 1982, Evans Brothers Ltd, London, 1981, ISBN 0237456451
• Cormack, Robin (1997). Painting the Soul; Icons, Death Masks and Shrouds. Reaktion Books, London.  
• David Talbot-Rice, Byzantine Art, 3rd edn 1968, Penguin Books Ltd

El Greco

• Bray, Xavier; El Greco; 2004; National Gallery Company, London (dist Yale UP);ISBN 1857093151
• Brown, Jonathan (1982). "El Greco and Toledo", El Greco of Toledo (catalogue). Little Brown. ASIN B-000H4-58C-Y.  
• Lambraki-Plaka, Marina (1999). El Greco-The Greek. Kastaniotis. ISBN 9-60032-544-8.  
• Mann, Richard G. (2002). "Tradition and Originality in El Greco's Work". "Journal of the Rocky Mountain" 23: 83–110. The Medieval and Renaissance Association.  
• Panayotakis, Nikolaos M. (1986). ""The Cretan Period of the Life of Doménicos Theotocópoulos", Festschrift In Honor Of Nikos Svoronos, Volume B. Crete University Press.  

El Greco
General: The Artist | Chronology | Technique and style | Posthumous fame | Cretan School | Spanish Renaissance | Mannerism Paintings: List of notable works | The Dormition of the Virgin | The Disrobing of Christ (El Espolio) | The Burial of the Count of Orgaz | View of Toledo | Opening of the Fifth Seal | The Adoration of the Shepherds