Constantinos Parthenis painting headlining Greek auction at Bonhams
With an estimated value of 350,000 to 550,000 euros, the expressionist masterpiece “The Apotheosis of Athanasios Diakos” by Constantinos Parthenis (1878-1967) is headlining auction house Bonhams’ Greek Sale this week.
The 1927 painting depicts 1821 Greek Revolution hero Athanasios Diakos ascending to heaven and is regarded as one of the greatest paintings ever by a Greek artist and the crown jewel in banker Spyros Loverdos’ famed collection.
Being held at Bonhams’ Paris branch on Wednesday, the auction also includes “L’offrande” by Nikolaos Gyzis (1842-1901) and the monumental “Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos at the walls of Constantinople, May 29, 1453,” by the folk artist Theophilos (c. 1870-1930), who is also represented at the auction with a painting inspired by the star-crossed lovers of the early 17th century pastoral romance “Erotokritos” by Vitsentzos Kornaros.
