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Provenance: Virginie Kanaris (maiden name Krediropoulou) a student of Nikiforos Lytras,
by whom acquired directly from the artist as a present for her birthday.
Konstantinos Kanaris, by whom acquired from his mother above.
Ekaterini Klapsis (maiden name Embirikou) acquired from her late first
husband above in 1950.
Virginie Kanaris, by whom acquired from the above in 1973 and thence
by descent to the present owner.
A leading artist of the Munich School, Nikiforos Lytras returned to Athens in 1862, after completing his studies in Germany. He was appointed professor at the School of Fine Arts, where he remained until the end of his life, playing an influential role in the Greek art scene.
In spite of his awareness of impressionism, Lytras chose to remain faithful to a more academic style, without, however, relying on conventional compositions or decorative affectations.
In 1873 he travelled to Asia Minor with Nikolaos Gysis and in 1879 he visited Egypt. In the present work, Lytras captures a mysterious expression in the bearded man, whose head is framed by the red hooded cloak. Painted on a tambourine, the work evokes the exoticism of the Orient.
