Lot 3: Michalis Economou Greek, 1888-1933 , along the shore

signed l.r. oil on canvas

54.5 by 73.5cm., 21 1/2 by 28 3/4in.

THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN, ATHENS
The present work is a superb example of Economou's lyrical closed space and poetic landscapes, their characteristic delicate sense of atmosphere conveyed through the use of a restrained palette of earthy tones accentuated by the vibrant blue of the sea and the red sail in the foreground. The inherent calmness of the scene is heightened by the reflection of the moon in a tranquil sea, reminiscent of a picture perfect summer evening on the Greek isles. ''All the subjects of Economou's work are taken from nature. In his earliest paintings - landscapes mainly from the South of France but also from Greece - the weathered walls of the houses and mills, the arches of the old bridges and the rocks are 'structured' with dull or greyish tones, splashed uninhibitedly but with a masterful touch on card, linen or canvas, sometimes almost sculpted, at other times as if wiped smooth.'' (Aphrodite Kouria, Michalis Economou: An Individualistic Interpreter of Greek Landscapes , Zygos, Athens, 1983, p. 44). In the present work, the use of this technique as well as the blending of colours and contours lends the painting a hazy, ethereal quality. Within Economou's often almost monochromatic compositions, colour, as a vehicle to convey feelings and create atmosphere, took supremacy. '' Even those subjects which could be used as narrative elements appear in his paintings in a purely chromatic role. Thus the human figures in his paintings - when they do appear - breathe no spark of life into the work: they are merely an excuse for a small area of colour or a patch of brushwork'' ( ibid. ).