Georgios Iakovidis 1853-1932 | Greece

Georgios Iakovidis founded and was the first curator of the National Gallery of Greece in Athens. He is one of the most famous painters of Greece. He started his studies as a sculptor in the Polytechnical School of Athens. His professor was N. Lytras from Tinos. In the meanwhile, his talent for painting was clearly revealed. After his graduation, he got a scholarship and went to Munich where he continued his artistic studies under the supervision of excellent professors. He worked there for twenty years. He was one of the thirty “immortal” members of Athen’s Academy when firstly created in 1926. After coming back in Greece he gained great reputation as a portrait painter of the Royal family of Greece. But the center of his paintings was always the CHILD. He was awarded with many supreme prizes for his work all over the world. His most known statue is the statue of Liberty, dedicated to the local heroes of Balcanic War 1911-1912, welcoming everybody at the port of Mytilini, Capital of Lesvos. It is inspired by the Eiffel’s statue of Liberty at the port of New York. His paintings (over 200) are exposed in many museums of Europe and United States.