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Georgios Markou (; 1690–1770) also known as Georgios Markou of Argos (. He was a Greek fresco and icon painter. He was active during the Greek Baroque and Rocco periods. He was an artistic representative of the Neo-Hellenikos Diafotismos. He was one of the few Greek painters that worked outside of the
Ionian Islands The Ionian Islands (Modern Greek: , ; Ancient Greek, Katharevousa: , ) are a archipelago, group of islands in the Ionian Sea, west of mainland Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese ("Seven Islands"; , ''Heptanēsa'' or , ''Heptanē ...
. Other painters that worked outside the Ionian Islands were Christodoulos Kalergis and
Makarios Macarius is a Latinized form of the old Greek given name Makários (Μακάριος), meaning "happy, fortunate, blessed"; compare the Latin ''beatus'' and ''felix''. Ancient Greeks applied the epithet ''Makarios'' to the gods. In other la ...
. They were also fresco painters. Other Greek fresco painters that traveled all over Greece were
Fragkos Katelanos Fragkos Katelanos (; 1510/20 – 1590) was a Greek painter. He specialized in icon and fresco-painting. His work resembles the Byzantine style of painting with attributes of the Cretan school. His work coincided with Theophanes the Cretan geograp ...
,
Theophanes the Cretan Theophanis Strelitzas (; 1490–1559), also known as Theophanes the Cretan () or Theophanes Bathas (), was a Greek painter of icons and frescos in the style of the Cretan school. He passed much of his career as a member of the monastic community ...
, and Frangos Kontaris. Markou was also one of the few prominent painters to have painted in
Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
. His surviving works can be found all over the ancient city. He also completed works on the island of Salamina. Three icons survived and countless frescos exist at seven different sites. Some of the frescos are in very good condition. His most notable frescos are at the Monastery Faneromeni, Salamina, Greece.


History

Markou was born in
Argos Argos most often refers to: * Argos, Peloponnese, a city in Argolis, Greece * Argus (Greek myth), several characters in Greek mythology * Argos (retailer), a catalogue retailer in the United Kingdom Argos or ARGOS may also refer to: Businesses ...
. He worked with his brother Antonios. Not much is known about his life except for the massive number of frescos that survived in the region of Athens, Greece. In the period spanning 1719-20 he traveled to Mount Athos for research and study of the "Palaeologan renaissance " in Byzantine Hagiography. He also traveled to Venice where he had an opportunity to experience the art trends of the Renaissance. The first archive of the artist began in 1719, at the
Petraki Monastery The Monastery of the Holy Incorporeal Taxiarchs (Άγιοι Ασώματοι Ταξιάρχες), commonly known as Petraki Monastery (Μονή Πετράκη, "Monastery of Petrakis"), is a Byzantine-era monastery in Kolonaki, Athens. It serves a ...
in Athens, Greece. The next church he frescoed was in 1727. The name of the church was Iera Sketi Agio Timotheo, Gerakas. He conducted a service in honor of
Peter the Wonderworker Saint Peter the Wonderworker or the Thaumaturge (, ), also known as Saint Peter of Argos (Άγιος Πέτρος του Άργους) is a Christian saint, regarded as the patron saint of Argos. Life He was born in Constantinople, to a well-to- ...
of Argos and Nafplio in 1729. In 1732, he was back in Athens. Markou frescoed the church of Kimisis tis Theotokou in
Koropi Koropi (, ) is a suburban town in East Attica, Greece. It is the seat of the municipality Kropia. It has been home to the new training facilities of Panathinaikos football club since the summer of 2013. Geography Koropi is situated east of the ...
, Athens. By the year 1735, he completed his most impressive work on the island of Salamína. He frescoed the Faneromeni Monastery. Six years later he completed more frescos in Athens. He worked in the church of Agia Paraskevi at Markopoulo. The church (old cathedral) of St.John Chrysostom i
Kamarthi
hagiographed some time after 1735 (Paeanea-Mesogeia). His final works were recorded in the 1740s at
Kouvaras Kouvaras () is a village and a former community in East Attica, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Saronikos, Attica, Saronikos, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 24.371 ...
, Athens. He completed works in the churches of Agios Georgios and Agios Athanasius. Most of the surviving frescos are in very good condition. The other painters he collaborated with were also recorded. Their names were Nikolaos Benizelos, Georgios Kypriotis, and Dimitrios. Local legend states that he was buried in the cemetery courtyard of the Church of Agia Paraskevi Markopoulou. He is one of the most notable fresco painters of his time. He influenced countless Greek painters. His artwork is one of the most important monuments of 18th-century Greek culture. His work is significant because it was completed outside of the
Ionian Islands The Ionian Islands (Modern Greek: , ; Ancient Greek, Katharevousa: , ) are a archipelago, group of islands in the Ionian Sea, west of mainland Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese ("Seven Islands"; , ''Heptanēsa'' or , ''Heptanē ...
and the
Venetian Empire Venetian often means from or related to: * Venice, a city in Italy * Veneto, a region of Italy * Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area Venetians might refer to: * Masters of Venetian painting in 15th-16th centuries * ...
. His work may have been influenced by Venetian art because he traveled to Venice and the
Ionian Islands The Ionian Islands (Modern Greek: , ; Ancient Greek, Katharevousa: , ) are a archipelago, group of islands in the Ionian Sea, west of mainland Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese ("Seven Islands"; , ''Heptanēsa'' or , ''Heptanē ...
. Another notable artist from the Peloponnese region who completed countless frescos was Christodoulos Kalergis. He was active during the same period. Hatzidakis, 1997, pp 172-174


Gallery

File:Georgios Markou Virgin and Child.png, Our Lady of the Sign (Platitera) Πλατυτέρα File:Georgios Markou Saint Demetrios.png, The Sacrifice of Saint Demetrios File:Georgios Markou Scenes from the Life of Christ.png, Georgios Markou Scenes from the Life of Christ File:Georgios Markou John the Baptist.png, John the Baptist File:Georgios Markou Agios Mamas.png, Agios Mamas


Notable works

*Frescos 1719 ''
Petraki Monastery The Monastery of the Holy Incorporeal Taxiarchs (Άγιοι Ασώματοι Ταξιάρχες), commonly known as Petraki Monastery (Μονή Πετράκη, "Monastery of Petrakis"), is a Byzantine-era monastery in Kolonaki, Athens. It serves a ...
Athens, Greece'' *Frescos 1727 ''Iera Sketi Agio Timotheo, Gerakas, Attiki, Greece''


See also

*
Nikolaos Philanthropinos Nikolaos Philanthropinos (, c. 1380–1385 – c. 1435–1450), also known as Nicolaos Philanthropenos and Nicolaus Filantropinó or Philastropino, was a Byzantine Greek painter. He was active in Crete, Venice, and Constantinople. He was a very f ...
* Georgios Kalliergis


References


Bibliography

* Evangelos Andreou, ''Da Peloponneso a Venezia e da Venezia ad Attica: Giorgio Marcou di Argos: la più grande scuola agiografica del diciottesimo (18°) secolo.'
KET/lib
Βιβλιοθήκη Πανεπιστημίου Πειραιά * Evangelos Andreou, ''George Markou the Argeius. The greatest school of hagiography in the 18th century''. ''Ed. European Arth Cener, 2012'' (Ευάγγελος Ανδρέου
Γεώργιος Μάρκου ο Αργείος
Το μέγιστο της αγιογραφίας σχολειό στο 18ο αιώνα. ''Έκδ. Ευρωπαϊκό Κέντρο Τέχνης, 2012) '' * * * {{authority control 1690 births 1770 deaths 18th-century Greek painters People from Argos, Peloponnese