Women in the 1821 Revolution

Item

Title

Date

23 March–31 October 2021

Date Issued

2021

Abstract

"The spirit of Philhellenism and the unsurpassed heroic stature of the Greek woman in the years of the 1821 Revolution emerges in the most expressive way through the masterpieces of the famous Collection of Michalis and Dimitra Varkarakis. In the thematic exhibition, a strict selection of 100 paintings, porcelain objects and clocks of the 19th century refer back to the huge contribution of women to the 1821 Revolution. These are works that teach us our history, the pain and the heroism of the woman, sometimes as a mother and sometimes as a symbol of sacrifice. Visual philhellenism brought to the fore a rich production of works by romantic, European artists, French, mainly English, Italian, German. Eugene Delacroix is considered a “philhellene painter”, who, inspired by Byron’s poems, created emblematic performances, which were considered philhellenic manifestos. The philhellenic repertoire developed around historical figures and events, as well as from the horrors and sufferings of the war for the civilian population."
(Edited version of Vasso Kyriazakou’s description of the exhibition from the organiser’s website)