On this Day/ 10.05 — Κωνσταντίνος Παρθένης / Konstantinos Parthenis (1878-1967)

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“A true artist should not be like anyone else. The artist can truly be called ‘an artist’ if he has a unique personality and is expressed through his work without caring about any rules and commitments”
— Konstantinos Parthenis

On this day, May 10th, 1878, Greek painter Konstantinos Parthenis was born in Alexandria, Egypt.

Parthenis was a leading figure of the “Generation of the ’30s” and helped shape modern Greek art. A cosmopolitan aristocrat fluent in many languages, he travelled extensively—especially to Paris and Vienna—staying closely connected with European artistic movements.

Despite his talent, he faced resistance in Greece’s conservative art circles. In 1923, the Athens School of Fine Arts denied him a professorship, awarding it to Nikos Lytras instead. He finally secured the position in 1929. Though admired by students like Tsarouchis and Tetsis, he remained a controversial figure, eventually resigning in 1947 after years of marginalisation.

Parthenis continued to paint in isolation beneath the Acropolis, developing a unique visual language rooted in spirituality and Greek identity. His subjects included mythology, religion, allegory, and nature, blending influences from Byzantine art, Symbolism, Impressionism, and Jugendstil.

To mark his birthday, we highlight 'Mythology and Religion', 1950s, oil on canvas, from the Greek Collection of the A. G. Leventis Gallery.

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© A. G. Leventis Gallery
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