Theodore Poulakis (; 1622–1692) was a Greek Renaissance painter and teacher. He is considered the father of the Heptanese school and one of the most prolific painters of Venetian Crete. Poulakis was a member of the

Cretan school Cretan school describes an important school of icon painting, under the umbrella of post-Byzantine art, which flourished while Crete was under Venetian rule during the late Middle Ages, reaching its climax after the fall of Constantinople, beco ...

, his contemporary was

Emmanuel Tzanes Emmanuel Tzanes (; 1610 – 28 March 1690), also known as Bounialis (), Emmanuel Tzane-Bounialis, Emmanuel Zane, or Emmanuel Tzane, was a Greek Renaissance iconographer, author, clergyman, and educator. He spent the latter half of his life in Ve ...

. Emmanuel Tzanes and Poulakis were active painters of the Cretan School until Candia, went to war with the Ottomans around 1649. Candia finally fell after twenty years of siege in 1669. Poulakis settled on the island of Corfu. Stephanos Tzangarolas was another famous painter in Corfu around the same period. Poulakis's works are likened to Andreas Pavias and

Georgios Klontzas Georgios Klontzas (; 1535–1608), also known as George Klontzas or Zorzi Cloza dito Cristianopullo, was a Greek scholar and painter of the Cretan school, Cretan Renaissance. He is one of the most influential artists of the post-Byzantine period, ...

. Poulakis works exhibit qualities of the Venetian school. Over 130 of his paintings have survived and can be found all over the world.

History

Poulakis was born in Chania Crete. He was the son of Antonios. He was married and had two children Vittirous and Eleni. By the age of twenty-four, he was living in Venice. He stayed there for thirteen years until 1657. His son was baptized in Venice in 1646 and his daughter two years later. He was a member of the Quaranta council. Famous Greek painters

Philotheos Skoufos Philotheos Skoufos (also Filotheos; ; between 1615 and 1625 – 1685) was a Greeks, Greek painter, educator and clergyman during the 17th century. He collaborated with Emmanuel Tzanes on several pieces while he was in Corfu. Philotheos was a ...

Konstantinos Tzanes Konstantinos Tzanes (, 1633 – 1685; also known as Bounialis () Konstantinos Tzane-Bounialis, Konstantinos Zane, or Konstantinos Tzane) was a Greek Renaissance painter. He was a painter in Crete and Venice. His brother Emmanuel Tzanes was ...

, and Ioannis Moskos were all living in Venice around that time. Poulakis was a member of the Greek Brotherhood of Venice in 1654. In 1657, Poulakis migrated to Corfu. He signed a six-year contract to teach painting to Marinos Damistras son Tzorzi. According to the contract, Tzorzi had to follow Poulakis anywhere he went including Venice.

was a witness for Poulakis in a legal matter around 1666. Poulakis traveled to

Cephalonia Kefalonia or Cephalonia (), formerly also known as Kefallinia or Kephallonia (), is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece and the 6th-largest island in Greece after Crete, Euboea, Lesbos, Rhodes and Chios. It is also a separate regio ...

where he painted. By 1671, he was back in Venice one year later he was voted a member of the Quaranta e Gionta. In 1673, he took part in a baptism. By 1675, he was back in

Corfu Corfu ( , ) or Kerkyra (, ) is a Greece, Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands; including its Greek islands, small satellite islands, it forms the margin of Greece's northwestern frontier. The island is part of the Corfu (regio ...

where he lived out the remainder of his life. He died on November 16, 1692.

Painting style

Some of his paintings escaped the traditional maniera greca and exhibit fuller shapes and variations of color. His work ''Hymn to the Virgin'' followed the Greek tradition and is comparable to Andreas Pavias ''Crucifixion of Jesus''. Clearly, both artists try to fill the canvas with figures. Both of the paintings follow the traditional Greek style. Another painting by Greek painter

, ''All Creation Rejoices in Thee'' closely resembles ''Hymn to the Virgin'' where the virgin is at the Center of the icon and countless figures occupy the iconic space.

clearly inspired the work of Poulakis. He is one the fathers of the Heptanese school due to his transition from painting styles. He does not always observe the traditional lines and shapes of maniera greca. His paintings ''Adam and Eve'', ''Noah's Ark'', and the Birth of Isaac are examples of the transitional period of the

to the more refined sophisticated art of the Heptanese school. Clearly, Michael Damaskinos experimented with this transition in his ''The Last Supper'', and ''The Wedding of Cana''. Theodore Poulakis takes his viewers from the Cretan school to the Heptanese school but Michael Damaskinos began playing with the idea one hundred years before Poulakis.

El Greco Doménikos Theotokópoulos (, ; 1 October 1541 7 April 1614), most widely known as El Greco (; "The Greek"), was a Greek painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance, regarded as one of the greatest artists of all time. ...

never successfully converted the Cretan school to his stylistic transitions. Poulakis continued painting until the time of his death. Hatzidakis, 1997, pp 304-317

Gallery

Cretan School

File:Theodore Poulakis In Thee Rejoiceth.jpg, In Thee Rejoiceth File:Icon with the Virgin of the Tree of Jesse. 1666 (8384481474).jpg, Virgin, Tree of Jesse File:Theodore Poulakis Icon.jpg, ''

St. John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...

'' File:S. Nicholas by T.Poulakis (?), 17th c.jpg, Saint Nicholas File:Poulakis Theodoros - St Spyridon and scenes from his life - Google Art Project.jpg, ''St. Spyridon and scenes from his life'' File:Palaiokastritsa monastery25.JPG, Palaiokastritsa monastery, Corfu Icon of the St. George File:Saint John - Theodore Poulakis.jpg, Saint John File:Poulakis Theodoros-The ascension of prophen Elijah and scenes from his life (borders).jpg, The Ascension of Prophet Elijah and Scenes from his life.

Heptanese School

File:Poulakis Theodoros - The archangel Michael - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Archangel Michael'' File:Theodore Poulakis Adam and God.png, God Creates Adam File:Theodore Poulakis Adam and Eve.png, God Creates Eve File:Theodore Poulakis Adam and Eve.jpg, Adam and Eve File:Noah's Ark by T.Poulakis after engraving of J.Sadeler (17th c.).jpg, Noah's Ark File:Theodore Poulakis Birth of Isaac.jpg, Birth of Isaac File:Theodoros Poulakis - The Nativity of Christ - WGA18226.jpg, The Nativity of Christ File:Theodore Poulakis Moses.jpg, Death of Moses

Notable works

* In Thee Rejoiceth (Poulakis) *Adoration of Joseph, ''Collection Sterbini

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, Italy'' *The Four Knights of the Apocalypse ''Collection by S. Amberg

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

'' *

Onuphrius Onuphrius (also Onoufrios; ) lived as a hermit in the desert of Upper Egypt in the 4th or 5th centuries. He is venerated as Saint Onuphrius in both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Catholic churches, as Venerable Onuphrius in Eastern Orthodoxy, a ...

Entrhoned ''

Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 152,916 residents as of 2025. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn ...

, Italy'' *John the Baptist as Child ''Sotheby's

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, United Kingdom'' *John the Theologian ''Lefkosia, Cyprus'' *Crucifixion, ''Collection of Abou-Adal

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

, Lebanon'' *All Thee Rejoices ''Private Collection

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

'' * Noah's Ark (Poulakis) * The Archangel Michael (Poulakis) * The Fall of Man (Poulakis) * The Miracle of the Holy Belt * The Birth of the Virgin Mary (Poulakis)

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Poulakis, Theodore 1622 births 1692 deaths Cretan Renaissance painters People from Chania 17th-century Greek painters Painters of the Heptanese school Greek Baroque painters Greek icon painters