The most distinguished sculptor of modern Greece

 

Yannoulis Chalepas was the most notable sculptor of modern Greece and his work has been influencing young sculptors in Greece and abroad.

Chalepas’s work is divided in three periods. The first period, 1870-1878, covers the years of his youth and later mental illness. The second period, 1902-1930, covers the

years he lived and worked in Tinos after his comeback from the mental institution in Corfu. The third period covers the years he lived and worked in Athens, between 1930 and 1938.

Chalepas was born on August 14th, 1851 in Tinos. His father John ran a large family business of sculpting marble together with Yannoulis’s uncle. His parents motivated him to become a merchant. However, Yannoulis decided to study sculpting.

During the years 1869 to 1872, he studied at the School of Arts in Athens. In 1873, he left for Munich, under a scholarship of the Panhellenic Holy Foundation of the Evangelistria of Tinos, to continue his studies at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts.

During his years in Munich, he exhibited his works and received awards for The Tale of Beauty and Satyr playing with Eros.

In 1876, he returned to Athens and opened his own laboratory. In 1877, he completed his work Satyr playing with Eros in marble and in the same year he started working on his most renowned sculpture, the Sleeping Female at the tomb of Sophia Afentaki at the First Cemetery of Athens.

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