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Greek, 1862-1936
A native beggar of Cyprus
oil on canvas
signed and dated 1931 lower left
45 x 28 cm
Provenance
private collection, Nicosia
Literature
Όθων Γιαβόπουλος, Ζωγραφος Άθηναιος, 1862-1936, Εκδόσεις εν Τοίποις, Λευκωσια, 2011, page 157, illustrated
NOTE
the same subject matter appears on a postcard from the 1930’s published by Glaszner Studio, Nicosia
Othon Yiavopoulos was born in Vitinia, Arkadia in 1836.
In 1876 he enrolled at The School of Fine Arts in Athens where he studied painting under Constantinos Volanakis, graduating in 1883.
In 1889 the Church of Cyprus invited Yiavopoulos to the island to work on commissions for a number of churches including fresco decoration and icon painting.
He arrived in Cyprus with his wife Argyro and their children Nikos and Chrysoulla. Their other three children were born in Cyprus: Lela, Fofo and Yiangos. Fofo is the mother of the former President of the Republic of Cyprus George Vassiliou and actress Monica Vassiliou.
Yiavopoulos settled with his family in Limassol where he easily integrated with the local community. He taught drawing at the Hellenic School in Limassol and worked on private commissions painting religious icons.
Yiavopoulos worked on an impressive range of frescoes in Cyprus between 1899 and 1922. Sadly, his two great works in Limassol: the Agia Napa Cathedral and the Panayia Pantanassa Catholic Church are both lost. Between 1904 and 1918 he worked on fresco decoration and icons at the Church of Annunciation in the village of Vasa Kilaniou.
Icons painted by Yiavopoulos can be admired in a large number of Cypriot churches including the Church of Timiou Stavrou in Vouni, the Church of Timiou Stavrou in Omodos, the Church of Panayia Chrysolofitissa in Lofou, the Church of Agios Georgios in Kapedes and the Church of Panayia Evangelistria Palouriotissa.
In 1876 he enrolled at The School of Fine Arts in Athens where he studied painting under Constantinos Volanakis, graduating in 1883.
In 1889 the Church of Cyprus invited Yiavopoulos to the island to work on commissions for a number of churches including fresco decoration and icon painting.
He arrived in Cyprus with his wife Argyro and their children Nikos and Chrysoulla. Their other three children were born in Cyprus: Lela, Fofo and Yiangos. Fofo is the mother of the former President of the Republic of Cyprus George Vassiliou and actress Monica Vassiliou.
Yiavopoulos settled with his family in Limassol where he easily integrated with the local community. He taught drawing at the Hellenic School in Limassol and worked on private commissions painting religious icons.
Yiavopoulos worked on an impressive range of frescoes in Cyprus between 1899 and 1922. Sadly, his two great works in Limassol: the Agia Napa Cathedral and the Panayia Pantanassa Catholic Church are both lost. Between 1904 and 1918 he worked on fresco decoration and icons at the Church of Annunciation in the village of Vasa Kilaniou.
Icons painted by Yiavopoulos can be admired in a large number of Cypriot churches including the Church of Timiou Stavrou in Vouni, the Church of Timiou Stavrou in Omodos, the Church of Panayia Chrysolofitissa in Lofou, the Church of Agios Georgios in Kapedes and the Church of Panayia Evangelistria Palouriotissa.
