January 05, 2007

Galanis, a greek master

Considered as one of the master of contemporary engraving, Dimitrios Emmanuel Galanis, native to Greece, was born in Athens in 1879 (or 1882) and died in Paris in 1966.

Naturalized french citizen, he used to leave in Paris where he associated with intellectual circles. He frequented Derain, Matisse and Maillol. His aesthetic was closer from Maillol than Matisse. He was the first greek artist to be a well-known member of the artistical european avant-garde. In 1920, he took part to an exhibition with Matisse, Vlaminck and Georges Braque. In 1921, he was exhibiting with Juan Gris, Raoul Dufy, Marc Chagall and Pablo Picasso. Famous in France, he exhibited also in Brussels Bruxelles, London and New York.

His first one-man exhibition occured in 1922. He received a rousing and welcomed review. André Malraux told of Galanis that he had a same power of evocation as Giotto's.
Galanis was also a professor at the Beaux-Arts de Paris and member of the Institut.

Galanis illustrated various books. His mastery shows through the beautiful etchings he composed in 1930 for Les Nourritures Terrestres by Gide.

Currently at the Librairie Loliee :
  • [Galanis] - Gide - Les Nourritures Terrestres. Paris, Gallimard, 1930, in-4, binding by Martin.
  • [Galanis] - Gabory - Coeurs à Prendre. Paris, Editions du Sagittaire, 1920, in-4.

(source : http://fr.wikipedia.org)