Alexandros parthenis biography

There is a variety of information on his youth and studies and it is mutually contradictory. He probably took his first painting lessons in Egypt during 1894-1895 from the German artist Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach and in 1895/1896 went to Vienna where he completed his studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (1897-1903) and the Conservatory.

In 1903 he came to Greece for the first time and the same year took part in the International Exhibition of Athens, at which he received the silver medal. Remaining in Greece for five years, he travelled to various parts of it, painting and producing icons for churches. From 1909 to 1911/1914 he lived in Paris, where he took part in various Salons among which was the Autumn Salon of 1910 where his work Slope was awarded a prize. Returning to Greece he settled for a time in Corfu, took Greek citizenship and became a member of the literary and artistic group Company of Nine. In 1917 he came permanently to Athens and, along with other artists founded the Art Group. In 1919 he was commissioned by the Attican League to do the painting in the church of Ayios Alexandros in Palaio Faliro. The next year he presented at Zappeion Hall a large retrospective exhibition, for which he was awarded the National Prize in Letters and Arts and thus established