A well-traveled, cerebral, modernist meteorite of an artist

The artist’s ‘The Little Church of Cephalonia’ (1920-27), is one of the works on display at the B&M Theocharakis Foundation in Athens.

By Aimilios Charbis

At close inspection, Constantinos Parthenis’s painting “The Little Church of Cephalonia” offers a glimpse of the artist’s key creative elements. There’s the idea of sketching as a means of outlining the world as well as his absolute perception of color. There’s also the notion of intellectual space and the boundaries that surround it. Above all, however, is that intense, hard to define, yet very clear feeling which accompanies major works of art.

The painting is currently on display at the B&M Theocharakis Foundation in Athens, part of an exhibition dedicated to the artist that will remain on display through June 1. “Art and Spirit” explores Parthenis’s oeuvre via subject matter, landscapes, allegories, portraits, still lifes and religious works. The latter category, which takes up one of the exhibition halls, is of particular interest as it reveals the artist’s distinct intellectual level, his dedication to tradition, as well as his rejuvenating perspective on religious iconography. A comparison of some of his most traditional work, such as that carried out at Aghios Alexandros Church in Palaio Faliro, southern Athens, with his modern depiction of the Annunciation, is an example of this kind of coexistence. Penned by Nikos Zias, Marina Lambraki-Plaka and Spyros Moschonas, a series of texts provide insight into both the artist’s work and his life and also feature in the catalog.

A leading figure and pioneer of the Greek Modernist movement, Parthenis (1878-1967) was born in Alexandria, Egypt. Following stints in European cities such as Paris (where he became...