Comments & Greek artists, Greek painters: Quotes on art and painting...

Comments & Greek painting, Greek artists

Yannis Stavrou, Evening in Thessaloniki, oil on paper

Poets, writers, painters, all kind of artists as well as scholars, philosophers, intellectuals write about art and painting in their poems, essays, novels. The art of painting opens a dialogue with the art of writing...

If we could but paint with the hand as we see with the eye!
- Honore de Balzac

Painters and poets have liberty to lie.
- Robert Burns

From the mingled strength of shade and light
A new creation rises to my sight,
Such heav'nly figures from his pencil flow,
So warm with light his blended colors glow.
. . . . The glowing portraits, fresh from life, that bring
Home to our hearts the truth from which they spring.
- Lord Byron (George Gordon Noel Byron),
Monody on the Death of the Rt. Hon. R.B. Sheridan
(st. 3)

If they could forget for a moment the correggiosity of Correggio and the learned babble of the sale-room and varnishing Auctioneer.
- Thomas Carlyle, Frederick the Great
(bk. IV, ch. III)

A picture is an intermediate something between a thought and a thing.
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

A picture is a poem without words.
- Confucius, Anet. ad Her. (4, 28)

Thank God, I too am a painter!
- Antonio Allegri da Correggio

Blest be the art that can immortalize,--the art that baffles time's tyrannic claim to quench it.
- William Cowper

Paint me as I am. If you leave out the scars and wrinkles, I will not pay you a shilling.
- Oliver Cromwell,
Remark to the Painter, Lely

The emperor one day took up a pencil which fell from the hand of Titian, who was then drawing his picture; and upon the compliment which Titian made him on that occasion he said, "Titian deserves to be served by Caesar."
- John Dryden

Style in painting is the same as in writing,--a power over materials, whether words or colors.
- James Ellis

The mind paints before the brush.
- James Ellis

The masters painted for joy, and knew not that virtue had gone out of them. They could not paint the like in cold blood. The masters of English lyric wrote their songs so. It was a fine efflorescence of fine powers.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pictures must not be too picturesque.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays--Of Art

The art of painting does not proceed so much by intelligence as by sight and feeling and invention.
- Philip Gilbert Hamerton

One picture in ten thousand, perhaps, ought to live in the applause of mankind, from generation to generation until the colors fade and blacken out of sight or the canvas rot entirely away.
- Nathaniel Hawthorne, Marble Faun
(bk. II, ch. XII)

He that seeks popularity in art closes the door on his own genius: as he must needs paint for other minds, and not for his own.
- Mrs. Anna Brownell Jameson,
Memoirs and Essays--Washington Allston

I only feel, but want the power to paint.
[Lat., Nequeo monstrare et sentio tantum.]
- Juvenal (Decimus Junius Juvenal), Satires
(VII, 56)

The only good copies are those which exhibit the defects of bad originals.
- Francois Duc de la Rochefoucauld, Maxims
(no. 136)

Ah, would we could at once paint with the eyes! In the long way, from the eye through the arm to the pencil, how much is lost!
- Ephraim Gotthold Lessing

The picture that approaches sculpture nearest
Is the best picture.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Michael Angelo
(pt. II, 4)

Whoever wishes to devote himself to painting should begin by cutting out his own tongue.
- Henri Matisse

I mix them with my brains, sir.
- John Opie ("The Cornish Wonder"),
answer when asked with what he mixed his colours

I paint a window just as I look out of a window. If a window looks wrong in a picture open, I draw the curtain and shut it, just as I would in my own room. One must act in painting as in life, directly.
- Pablo R. Picasso

Beauty, frail flower that every season fears, blooms in thy colors for a thousand years.
- Alexander Pope

Caracci's strength, Correggio's softer line, Paulo's free course, and Titian's warmth divine.
- Alexander Pope

He best can paint them who shall feel them most.
- Alexander Pope, Eloisa to Abelard
(last line)

The fellow mixes blood with his colors.
- Guido Reni (Guido Reni of Rubens),
said of Rubens

In portraits, the grace and, we may add, the likeness consists more in taking the general air than in observing the exact similitude of every feature.
- Sir Joshua Reynolds

The first degree of proficiency is, in painting, what grammar is in literature, a general preparation for whatever species of the art the student may afterwards choose for his more particular application. The power of drawing, modelling, and using colors is very properly called the language of the art.
- Sir Joshua Reynolds

If it is the love of that which your work represents--if, being a landscape painter, it is love of hills and trees that moves you--if, being a figure painter, it is love of human beauty, and human soul that moves you--if, being a flower or animal painter, it is love, and wonder, and delight in petal and in limb that move you, then the Spirit is upon you, and the earth is yours, and the fullness thereof.
- John Ruskin, The Two Paths (lect. I)

Painting with all its technicalities, difficulties, and peculiar ends, is nothing but a noble and expressive language, invaluable as the vehicle of thought, but by itself nothing.
- John Ruskin, True and Beautiful--Painting
(introduction)

Every time I paint a portrait I lose a friend.
- John Singer Sargent,
in Bentley and Esar's "Treasury of Humorous Quotations" (1951)

With hue like that when some great painter dips
His pencil in the gloom of earthquake and eclipse.
- Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Revolt of Islam
(canto V, st. 23)

Painting is silent poetry, poetry is eloquent painting.
- Simonides of Ceos

Stothard learned the art of combining colors by closely studying butterflies wings; he would often say that no one knew what he owed to these tiny insects. A burnt stick and a barn door served Wilkie in lieu of pencil and canvas.
- Samuel Smiles

I have very often lamented and hinted my sorrow, in several speculations, that the art of painting is made so little use of to the improvement of manners. When we consider that it places the action of the person represented in the most agreeable aspect imaginable,--that it does not only express the passion or concern as it sits upon him who is drawn, but has under those features the height of the painter's imagination,--what strong images of virtue and humanity might we not expect would be instilled into the mind from the labors of the pencil!
- Sir Richard Steele

There is no such thing as a dumb poet or a handless painter. The essence of an artist is that he should be articulate.
- Algernon Charles Swinburne,
Essays and Studies--Matthew Arnold's New Poems

The painter should not paint what he sees, but what will be seen.
- Paul Valery

Comments & Greek artists, Greek painters: Modern Greek painters, artists

Greek painters, artists face a promising art environment in the so-called modern Greece.

Their painting communicates with people through many galleries and institutions.
Greek painters are classified into modern art by discovering their own way to impressionist, expressionist, abstract style. Modern Greek painting has been characterized by the influence of the painters Parthenis, Maleas, Bouzianis...

Modern Greek painters, artists, Greek artists of the 20th century

Maleas, Parthenis, Lytras, Ikonomou, Papaloukas, Tsarouchis

Gradually the impressionists and other modern schools increased their influence. In the early 20th century Greek artists turned from Munich to Paris.
The interest of Greek painters, artists changes from historical representations to Greek landscapes with an emphasis on light and colours so much abundant in Greece.
Representatives of this artistic change are Konstantinos Parthenis, Konstantinos Maleas, Nicolaos Lytras and Georgios Bouzianis. K. Parthenis, in particular, introduces historical, religious and mythological elements that allow the classification of Greek painting into modern art. The same is true with the landscapes of K. Maleas and the expressionism of G. Bouzianis.

The period of 1930’s was a landmark for the Greek painters, with Yiannis Tsarouchis, Yiannis Moralis, Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas, Spyros Vassileiou, Alekos Kontopoulos (introduced abstraction in Greek paintings) and Spyros Papaloukas coming into the limelight of Greek Art. These painters tried mainly to combine leading European trends with Greek tradition.

Comments & Greek artists, Greek painters: Greek artists. Greek painters of the 19th century

Many early Greek painters followed postgraduate studies in Munich. After centuries of Ottoman rule, few opportunities existed in Greece itself, immediately after independence, so study abroad was imperative for artists. Both academic and personal bonds developed between early Greek painters and Munich giving rise to the Greek "Munich School" of painting.

This early period in Greece is dominated by German academism resulting from the influence of the Academy of Munich which many Greek artists attended. Many of these Munich School artists were interested in painting everyday Greek life, local customs, and living conditions.

Several important painters emerge at this time.
Theodoros Vryzakis specialized in historical painting and especially inspired by the 1821 Greek War of Independence. Nikiphoros Lytras concentrated on realistic depictions of Greek life. Nikolaos Gyzis painted a wide variety of works. Georgios Iakovides devoted his attention to infants and children. Constantinos Volanakis painted the Greek sea.

Greek painters, artists of the Struggle for Liberation: Zographos Panayiotis, Isaias Alexandros, Iatrides Athanasios, Dracos Themistocles

Greek painters of the School of Munich: Vryzakis Theodoros, Lytras Nikiphoros, Ghyzis Nicolaos, Volanakis Constantinos, Iacovides Geogios, Savvides Symeon, Vokos Nicolaos, Lembesis Polychronis, Hatzopoulos Georgios, Hatzis Vasileios, Oeconomou Ioannis, Gheorgantas Demetrios Zacharias Ioannis, Panorios Constantinos

Greek painters, artists influenced by Italian Art: Pitzamanos Gerassimos, Kalyvokas Dionysios, Pavlides-Minotos Petros, Tsokos Dionysios, Iatras Constantinos, Veyias Dionysios, Avlichos Georgios, Prossalendis Spyros, Pachis Charalmbos, Bocatsiambis Vikentios, Giallinas Anghelos, Tsirigotis Pericles, Samartzis Georgios, Kounelakis Nicolaos, Altamouras Ioannis, Oeconomou Aristides

Greek painters, artists influenced by the French Art: Margaritis Philoppos, Margaritis Georgios, Kriezis Andreas, Soutsos Grigorios, Xydias or Typaldos Nikolaos, Doukas Ioannis, Pantazis Pericles, Rizos Iacovos, Rhallis Theodoros, Calloudis Alexandros, Prossalendis Emilios, Prossalendis Pavlos the Younger, Roilos Georgios, Cheimonas Nicolaos


Greek painters of the School of Munich

Greek painters of the School of Munich: Th. Vryzakis, N. Lytras, N. Gyzis, G. Iakovidis

Greek painters of the School of Munich: G. Iakovidis, K. Volanakis

Comments & Greek artists, Greek painters: Active Evil is better than Passive Good...

Aphorisms & Greek artists, painters


Yannis Stavrou, Portrait of a Young Woman, oil on canvas

From ancient Greek philosophers to English romantism...
Let us enjoy some quotations by William Blake...

William Blake
Quotations

• A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees.
• A truth that's told with bad intent beats all the lies you can invent.
• Active Evil is better than Passive Good.
• Always be ready to speak your mind, and a base man will avoid you.
• Art can never exist without naked beauty displayed.
• Art is the tree of life. Science is the tree of death.
• As a man is, so he sees. As the eye is formed, such are its powers.
• Better murder an infant in its cradle than nurse an unacted desire.
• Both read the Bible day and night, but thou read black where I read white.
• Can I see another's woe, and not be in sorrow too? Can I see another's grief, and not seek for kind relief?
• Christ's crucifix shall be made an excuse for executing criminals.
• Do what you will, this world's a fiction and is made up of contradiction.
• Energy is an eternal delight, and he who desires, but acts not, breeds pestilence.
• Eternity is in love with the productions of time.
• Every harlot was a virgin once.
• Excessive sorrow laughs. Excessive joy weeps.
• Exuberance is beauty.
• For everything that lives is holy, life delights in life.
• Fun I love, but too much fun is of all things the most loathsome. Mirth is better than fun, and happiness is better than mirth.
• Great things are done when men and mountains meet.

Comments & Greek artists, Greek painters: Famous Quotations by ancient greek philosophers - Heraclitus

Comments & Greek artists, painters


Yannis Stavrou, Acropolis II, oil on canvas

Heraclitus of Ephesus (ca. 535–475 BCE), known as "The Obscure".

Translations of Heraclitus are by Richard Hooker ©1995.

LOGOS AND THE UNITY OF OPPOSITES
FRAGMENT 1
Men have no comprehension of the Logos, as I've described it, just as much after they hear about it as they did before they heard about it. Even though all things occur according to the Logos, men seem to have no experience whatsoever, even when they experience the words and deeds which I use to explain physis, of how the Logos applies to each thing, and what it is. The rest of mankind are just as unconscious of what they do while awake as they are of what they do while they sleep. (quoted in Sextus Empiricus, Against the Mathematicians )
FRAGMENT 50
(quoted in Hippolytus, Refutations )
Listening to the Logos rather than to me, it is wise to agree that all things are in reality one thing and one thing only.
FRAGMENT 10
(quoted in Aristotle, On the World )
Things which are put together 1are both whole and not whole, brought together and taken apart, in harmony and out of harmony; one thing arises from all things, and all things arise from one thing.
FRAGMENT 88
(quoted in pseudo-Plutarch, Consolation to Apollo )
As a single, unified thing there exists in us both life and death, waking and sleeping, youth and old age, because the former things having changed are now the latter, and when those latter things change, they become the former.
FRAGMENT 51
(quoted in Hippolytus, Refutations )
They do not understand that what differs agrees with itself; it is a back-stretched connection such as the bow or the lyre. 2
FRAGMENT 54
(quoted in Hippolytus, Refutations )
The unapparent connection is more powerful than the apparent one.
FRAGMENT 67
(quoted in Hippolytus, Refutations )
God is day and night, winter and summer, war and peace, fullness and hunger; he changes the way fire does when mixed with spices and is named according to each spice. 3
CHANGE
FRAGMENT 12
(quoted in Arius Didymus, )
On those who step in the same river, different and different waters flow . . . 4
FRAGMENT 80
(quoted in Origen, Against Celsus )
It is necessary to understand that war is common, strife is customary, and all things happen because of strife and necessity.
HUMAN WISDOM AND LAW
FRAGMENT 41
(quoted in Diogenes Laertius, Book IX)
Wisdom is one thing: to understand with true judgment how all things are steered through all.5
FRAGMENT 44
(quoted in Stobaeus, Anthology )
It is necessary for those who speak sensibly to rely on what is common to all, just as a city must rely on its law, but even more so; all human laws are nourished by a single divine law 6 ; for it rules as far as it wishes and is sufficient for all and is still left over.
Translated from the Greek by Richard Hooker ©1995

ENDNOTES
1. That is, anything that is composite, anything that has parts or constituent elements.
2. This is one of the most difficult and important fragments. In the first clause, Heraclitus talks about anything which differs (literally, anything "pulled apart"), that is, paired opposites, such as hot-cold, summer-winter, etc. These opposites, however, can also be seen as agreeing with one another (literally, "put together"); that is, these paired opposites can be viewed as one, unified whole. The second clause explains that there is a connection between these opposites which allows you to see these opposites as a single thing, just as there is a connection between the opposite ends of a bow or lyre (that connection is the string joining the two ends) which creates a single thing (a bow or lyre) out of the two opposite ends. What does Heraclitus mean by a "back-bent" connection? In ancient Greece, both bows and lyres were made out of wood, which when strung was bent in the direction opposite to the natural bend in the wood (in the case of a bow, this made it more powerful; in the case of a lyre, it created more tension on the string). Perhaps Heraclitus means that the connection between the two opposites is not immediately evident: check out the next fragment which argues that unapparent connections are stronger than the more apparent ones.
3. Tough passage. God consists of all the opposite pairs in the universe: this is what Heraclitus means in the first clause. The second clause is a bit more difficult: a fire, when it is mixed with spices, is named after the spice since that is the smell we perceive. The fire remains unchanged; it, in fact, remains constant. What changes is our perception of the fire. This is the nature of God: he underlies all change in the universe as a single, unchanging thing, but what we perceive (like the smell of spice coming from the fire) is constantly changing.
4. This is the most famous passage in Heraclitus. This curious riddle implies two things: 1.) that the world is in constant change (different and different waters flow); 2.) the world is one unified whole (the river) which is constant yet contains this perpetual change.
5. This little difficult tidbit is actually fairly easy to understand: Heraclitus is saying the real wisdom consists in understanding how the world works, how all things are governed. The world is governed, of course, by the Logos, so the only wisdom in humans is understanding the Logos.
6. The Logos.

Sources:
Heraclitus – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraclitus (Wikipedia)
Heraclitus - http://www.wsu.edu/ (Washington State University)