Lot 93: Theofrastos Triantafyllidis (Greek 1881-1955)

Bathers on the boat
signed in greek (lower left)
oil on cardboard
30 x 18.5 cm. (11 3/4 x 7 1/4 in.)

Antonis Kotidis, Th. Triantafyllidis, University press, Thessaloniki 2002, no 76, p. 201 (illustrated).

This work, from 1925-30, was discovered in the artist's studio after his death and is mentioned in the inventory (no. 5) that was made at the time.
A founding member of the "Omada Technis" (Art Group) in 1917, the artist was interested in an unusually broad range of themes and stylistic expressions for his generation. He was also one of the first Greek artists to concentrate on series based on a single subject, such as gypsies, refugees and bathers, as in the painting presented here. By focusing on the central section of the rowingboat and the bathers, the artist provides an intimate glimpse of a group of friends on an outing. The four abstracted figures seem to emerge hesitatingly from the monochromatic haze that has dissolved the background. Their expressionless faces are characteristic of his work and can be traced to Degas, the Symbolists, and Nabis but also to other members of the "Omada Technis", such as Nicholaos Lytras and Pericles Byzantios. Having abandoned his concern for detail and the play of light and shadow, but paying more attention to the inherent expressive qualities of colour, Triantafyllides' work became increasingly expressionistic.

Artist's studio, after his death in 1955.
Kritonas Triantafyllidis, brother of the artist.
Private collection, Athens.

Painted c. 1925-30