"The Rite of Spring", 1981
By Nicos Engonopoulos (1910-1985)
Oil on canvas, 55Χ46 cm.
Inv. No.: P-29

Born in Athens, Nicos Engonopoulos studied painting at the School of Fine Arts (1932-1938) with Costas Parthenis, Dimitris Biskinis and Yannis Kefallinos.  He was taught also by Evangelos Ioannidis and, for the Byzantine Art, by Photis Kondoglou and Andreas Xyngopoulos.  He had freelance studies in Paris, Munich and Italy (Rome, Florence and Ravenna) as well.  He had his first one-man exhibition in Athens (1963).  However, already since 1939, he participated to all Pan-Hellenic as well as other group shows in Greece and especially abroad.  In 1938 he was named Lecturer and since 1967 till 1972 Professor for painting at the School of Architecture of the Polytechnic School of Athens, where he taught painting, general history of art and stage scenery.   At the same time he was engaged in literature.  He has published a series of poetry collections and has illustrated several editions of books, both of his own and of others.  He has also stage designed many theatre performances and has painted the hagiographies of St. Spyridon church in New York.  He was decorated as an Officer of the Order of King George I and as Commander of the Order of Phoenix.  His work takes a paramount position in the field of Greek surrealism.  Nicos Engonopoulos passed away in Athens (1985).

P.D.Cangelaris, Reflections upon Greek Contemporary Painting, The Cangelaris Collection, vol.1, Athens 1991

* Twenty years after his death, and in the frame of the preparations for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of his birth, 1907 is projected as the real year of his birth.