The A. G. Leventis Foundation has a very significant collection of works by 19th- and 20th-century Greek artists. The early core of the Collection was formed of the artworks – oil paintings, watercolours, drawings and prints – acquired by Anastasios G. Leventis in 1973 from his friend, the politician Evangelos Averoff-Tossizza. The first Collection catalogue was published in 1989, featuring 190 works. Following the acquisitions made in the 1990s and 2000s, the Greek Collection today numbers upwards of 260 works, spanning the period from the aftermath of the Greek War of Independence in 1821 to around 1970.
In Gallery A, visitors can trace the development of painting from the 19th century to the academic manifestations of the 20th. The exhibition features works that represent the variety of artistic movements and stylistic approaches in the history of Modern Greek painting, including exemplary paintings by the artists who shaped the face of Greek art in the 19th century.
Gallery B showcases the creative pursuits of the 20th century. Through the works of the great masters – Konstantinos Parthenis, Konstantinos Maleas, Spyros Papaloukas – and the eminent younger artists who left their mark on 20th-century Greek painting – Yannis Tsarouchis, Nikos Hatzikyriakos-Ghika, Yannis Moralis – visitors will gain an overview of the evolution of Greek art of the period.
