Périclès Pantazis
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Périclès Pantazis (Athens, 1849–1884) was a major Greek impressionist painter of the 19th century that gained a great reputation as an artist initially in Belgium.
[edit] Life
Pantazis studied painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts from 1861 to 1871 with Nikiforos Lytras as his teacher. He continued or one year his studies in Munich and he then left for Marseille and Paris. In Paris he was taught by Gustave Courbet and Antoine Chintreuil. At this period he was introduced to the works of Eugène Boudin, Johan Barthold Jongkind and of the impressionists Manet, Camille Pissarro and Degas.
In 1873 with a reference letter from Manet he moved to Brussels in Belgium. A notable Greek wine businessman Jean Économou was particularly interested in his skills and commissioned a large number of Pantazis paintings. In Belgium Pantazis became a member of an anti-academic artistic group called Circle de la pâte (meaning the circle of colour). He became close friends with painter Guillaume Vogels and sculptor Auguste Philippette whose sister he married few years later. In Brussels initially he worked as a home decorator for Guillaume Vogels but later he was dedicated to painting as he became increasingly known for his talent. In 1878 he represented Greece at the International Art Biennalle of Paris. He died before he turned 35 years old from chronic tuberculosis.
