11. 11AR FOTIS KONTOGLOU (1895-1965) Sans titre signé en grec en bas au centre huile sur bois 32,3 x 26,5 cm. (12 11/16 x 10 7/16in.) signed in Greek low centre oil on wood Combining Byzantine and Post-Byzantine iconographical and pictorial conventions with a deeply-felt religious sentiment and a pronounced sense of the spiritual, Kontoglou sought to breathe new life to 20th century Greek art by re-baptizing it in the invigorating waters of folk tradition and Orthodox faith. His passionate campaign had a decisive influence on Greek artists and especially on the exponents of the legendary 1930s generation. Here, the flat rendering of space, absence of chiaroscuro, otherworldly light, earthy colour, and schematisation of form build up a balanced composition of inner rhythm, while the disciplined design and delicate modelling evoke a mood of austerity and penitence, lending the protagonists a restrained and dignified appearance.