Vincenzo LANZA, also known as Vikentios Lantsas, was born in Venice in 1822 and died in Athens in 1902.

Italian in origin, he studied painting at the Venice Academy of Fine Arts, where, after completing his studies, he worked for a time as an assistant to the Chair of Perspective. Following the failure of the Italian revolt against Austrian rule in 1848, in which he had taken part, Lanza left Venice as a political exile and settled first in Patras and later in Athens.

In Greece, he became closely associated with the artistic and educational life of the newly established Greek state. He taught at the School of Arts in Athens and was particularly known for his knowledge of perspective, architectural drawing and watercolour. His work often focused on ancient monuments, archaeological sites, architectural views and landscapes, reflecting the nineteenth-century interest in antiquity, travel and historical documentation.

Lanza’s paintings and watercolours are characterised by precise draughtsmanship, clarity of composition and careful attention to architectural detail. His views of ancient Greek monuments combine documentary accuracy with a refined sense of atmosphere, making his work important both artistically and historically.

Vincenzo Lanza is regarded as one of the notable foreign-born artists who contributed to the development of nineteenth-century Greek art. His works are represented in important collections, including the National Gallery of Greece.