ΧΑΪΔΑΡΙ ΧΑΪΔΑΡΙ - ΣΥΝΑΝΤΗΣΗ ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ | Page 217

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Nikephoros Lytras and Nikolaos Gyzis
in Chaidari
Nikephoros Lytras left Tenos to study in the School of
Arts in Athens. His teachers were Ph. and G. Margaritis,
R. Ceccoli, the monk A. Triantafyllou and L. Thiersch,
who chose him as his apprentice in Soteira Lykodemou,
namely the Russian Church. Lytras had already been
acquainted with his compatriot, N. Nazos, who asked
him to paint Agios Georgios in Chaidari. Thiersch’s art,
following the «Nazarenes» Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld
(1794-1892) and Heinrich Hess (1798-1855) in the Munich
Academy, had a religious character and aimed to
reform church painting according to Western Art. Soteira
Lykodemou combines Byzantine attributes, such as
golden background and iconographic types, with Western
painting, such as the principles of perspective, shadows,
oil colours etc. Thiersch’s influence on Lytras is evident
in Agios Georgios, although Lytras further studied the
mosaics of Hosios Lukas and the Daphni Monastery.
The paintings in Agios Georgios
The church is a post-Byzantine construction, according
to its 16th century inscription. Many parts of the church
were painted in the second half of the 19th century. Lytras
may be securely attributed the Beheading of St John the
Baptist and St George killing the dragon on the south
and north wall respectively. They are both in extremely
fragmentary condition. The Beheading is a balanced
composition with the executioner on the right of St John
and two female figures on his left, Salome and a servant.
Figures are robust and colours are warm. Similarly, St
George demonstrates a dynamic movement underlined by
his flowing purple cape. The built Screen features Christ,
the Virgin with Child and S. Paraskevi. Their bad condition
makes the artist recognition impossible. They were either
done by Lytras alone or with Gyzis. Their co-operation
probably resulted in the Virgin of the apse, depicted with
the Child, in purple dress and austere calm expression.
Finally, the two painters may have painted an angel
on the arch over the screen. G. Drosinis mentions two
angels, copies of the Sistine Chapel with the features of
Nazos’ children.
Nikolaos Gyzis and the paintings of
the guest quarters of the Palataki villa
(neoclassical building)
In 1854, twelve-year old Nikolaos Gyzis from Tenos
started studying in the School of Arts, four years after
Lytras, who became his mentor. Their friendship lasted
through studying in Munich, their travels in Asia Minor
and until Gyzis’ death in 1901. Lytras introduced Gyzis to
Nazos. The latter took care so that Gyzis was granted
a scholarship by the Foundation of Evangelistria (Virgin
in Anunciation) in Tenos and study at Munich. Gyzis
became a student of Karl von Piloty (1826-1886), the
basic representative of realism in Germany.
In 1864, one year before Gyzis’ depart, Nazos
commissioned him the paintings of the dining room of
the guest quarters in Palataki. The young artist painted
the Four Seasons. Visual illusions give the visitor the
impression of being in an open-air place, with singing
birds and plants and trees. Four girls symbolize the
seasons placed in an idyllic landscape.
Recently, the Chaidari Municipality restored the Four
Seasons. The area is open to the public today, while the
rest of the building hosts the Municipal Library. Gyzis
left for Munich after the Four Seasons but came back
several times and finally got married to Artemis, daughter
of N. Nazos on the 24th of April 1877, in the church of
Agios Georgios. They then both left for Munich but kept
their bonds with the place, as their letters illustrate. The
nostalgia of the 1895 letters is notable, and probably due
to the death of N. Nazos in 1888. Furthermore, the estate
did not belong to the Nazos family anymore and needed
many repairs.