Fine Arts and Tradition

Fine Arts and Tradition: Four essays by the renowned Greek icon painter, writer, and philosopher Photios Kontoglou (1895-1965), compiled, translated from the Greek, and edited with a preface, notes and comprehensive account of Kontoglou’s General Theory of Art

Publication Data: Belmont, MA: Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 2004
Format: softcover
Number of Pages: 96
Dimensions (l × w × h): 21.5 cm × 14.0 cm × 0.7 cm
Additional Information: black-and-white illustrations
ISBN: 1‒884729‒76‒2

   
By Constantine Cavarnos

“Throughout his essays presented in this book, Kontoglou defends the thesis that works of true art are always traditional, grounded in a great art tradition. He defends his thesis with wisdom and vigor, giving telling examples drawn from his rich resources as a practicing artist and as a thinker acquainted with the history of the arts and the great art traditions. This book is addressed not only to artists, art critics, and aestheticians, but also to all persons who are deeply interested in truth, goodness, and beauty.”
—“Preface”

CONTENTS

   PREFACE
   INTRODUCTION: KONTOGLOU’S GENERAL THEORY OF ART
I FREE ART AND TRADITION
II THE ORTHODOX TRADITION OF ICONOGRAPHY
III CLASSICAL GREEK ART
IV ANCIENT ART AND BYZANTINE ART
   APPENDIX A:
      SELF-PORTRAIT OF PHOTIOS KONTOGLOU
   APPENDIX B:
      THE WORKSHOP OF KONTOGLOU
   INDEX OF PROPER NAMES
   INDEX OF SUBJECTS