"Nude", 1980
By Lafteris Kanakakis (1934-1985)
Oil on canvas, 74Χ118 cm.
Inv. No.: P-18

LEFTERIS KANAKAKIS (1934-1985)

Born at Rethymnon (Crete), Lefteris Kanakakis studied painting at the School of Fine Arts (1954-1959) with Yannis Moralis and Spiros Papaloukas.   With the help of a scholarship he continued his studies in Paris (1960-1961 and 1963-1966) at the École des Beaux Arts and the workshop of Maurice Brianchon.  He had his first one-man exhibition at Rethymnon (1960).  Other solo and group shows followed in Greece and abroad, including the Paris Biennale.  From 1968 to 1978 he worked at the Preparatory Workshop of the School of Fine Arts as assistant.  He wrote the handbook "The Art of Oil Painting" (Athens 1981), which consists a unique research study for the Greek bibliography.  In 1983 he was awarded with the "Nikos Kazantzakis" Prize of the Municipality of Heraklion.  His work reflects a fine art humanism and is characterized by a descriptive lyricism.  Lefteris Kanakakis passed away in Athens (1985).

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