Constantinos Volanakis Greek, 1837-1907

Acquired by the father of the present owner from the artist circa 1899;
thence by descent

The canvas has been relined. There are a few small spots of retouching within the sea visible under ultraviolet light, notably towards the lower right corner, some spots towards the extreme right edge, a tiny spot towards the prow of the frigate and some possible old retouchings in the sky. There are a few tiny scattered spots of pigment loss, notably in the upper right corner, otherwise the paint surface is overall in good condition. Held in a decorative plaster moulded gilt frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Volanakis was born and raised in Crete. In 1856 he moved to Trieste where he worked as an accountant for the sugar firm Aphentoulis.  His artistic talent and passion for seascapes and observations of vessels became clearly apparent to his employer when he found numerous sketches of boats, ships and the docks scribbled in Volanakis' ledger books. Rather than fire his young employee,  Aphentoulis encouraged Volanakis to take up painting as a profession and paid for him to study at the Munich Academy under Karl von Piloty. After a successful stay in the Bavarian capital, Volanakis returned to Greece in 1884 and settled in Piraeus.

Living close to the sea provided a continual source of inspiration for Volanakis. During his Greek period (1884-1907) his Munich School training gave way to more progressive styles, a genuine quest for the effects of light and colour, and a lyrical description of atmosphere as evinced by the present work. The impressionistic tendencies of some of his works were far ahead of their time and were ideally suited for his interpretation of the Greek coast.