Greek painter and graphic artist, born in Athens. In 1922 he enrolled at the Sorbonne in Paris to study French and Greek literature, but he devoted himself mainly to painting and engraving at the *Académie Ranson under *Bissière. He had his first one-man show at the Galerie Percier in 1927 and lived in Paris until 1934. At this time his work was strongly influenced by *Braque and *Picasso, but after his return to Athens he became interested also in Mediterranean landscape and Greek popular art. From the late 1930s he was recognized at home and abroad as Greece's leading painter, admired for his success in achieving a synthesis between his country's ancient traditions and contemporary artistic movements. In 1942 he was appointed a professor at the University of Athens and he continued to teach there until his retirement in 1960.