Michael Prevelis (, 1700s – 1700s). He was a Greek painter. He was active on the island of Crete during the eighteenth century. He was one of few Greek painters still active on the island. Other painters included:
Ioannis Kornaros and
Georgios Kastrofylakas. His work diverged from the traditional Greek
mannerism
Mannerism is a style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 16th century in Italy, when the Baroque style largely replaced it ...
. He was a representative of the Neo-Hellenikos Diafotismos in art, he was another representative of the Greek Rococo and Baroque periods. The Greek mannerisms were reflected in iconography and other painted mediums at the time. Nine of his works have survived they are all located at the
Preveli
Preveli (Greek language, Greek Πρέβελη) is a location on the south coast of the Greece, Greek island of Crete, in the Rethymno (regional unit), Rethymno regional unit, notable for its monastery.
Preveli Monastery
The Holy Stauropegic, S ...
Monastery. His most notable work is the ''Book of Revelation''.
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History
Prevelis was born on the island of Crete. He was a monk affiliated with
Preveli
Preveli (Greek language, Greek Πρέβελη) is a location on the south coast of the Greece, Greek island of Crete, in the Rethymno (regional unit), Rethymno regional unit, notable for its monastery.
Preveli Monastery
The Holy Stauropegic, S ...
Monastery. He adopted the name Prevelis due to his association with the monastery. Historians believe he was exposed to Flemish baroque engravings. Flemish art influenced the entire region namely the works of the Sadeler brothers and their contemporaries. He painted the Creation of Man. The Revelation similarly occupies the same spatial design, yet it is coloristically different. The famous painting of the Revelation is coloristically similar to
Ioannis Kornaros’s ''Great Art Thou (Megas Ei Kyrie)''.
Historians defined Prevelis’s activity during the middle part of the 1700s.
Ioannis Kornaros may have been exposed to his work. Prevelis’s work does not match the typical Cretan style prevalent one hundred years prior to his arrival as a painter. His brand of art fits into the circle of
Ioannis Kornaros and
Georgios Kastrofylakas. The same fusion was taking place in the Greek mannerism of Cycladic art primarily represented by
Defterevon Sifnios and his contemporaries.
[ Hatzidakis, 1997, p 318]
Gallery
File:Michael Prevelis Creation.png, Creation of Man
File:Michael Prevelis Behold the Man.png, Behold the Man
File:Michael Prevelis Christ before Caiaphas.png, Christ before Caiaphas
File:Michael Prevelis The Betrayal of Christ.png, The Betrayal of Christ
References
Bibliography
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{{Heptanese School (painting)
18th-century Greek painters
People from Crete