A painter known as the "father of Greek seascape painting". He attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, Germany, and combined academic realism with the innovative pre-impressionistic tendencies of landscape painters.
His topics were primarily seascapes, ethnographic and historical topics and a few landscapes in the early period of his career.
His works of art are of high aesthetics and unique artistic quality; they are underlined by harmony, rhythm and balance in their composition. They combine selective meticulous recording with schematic color attribution. His compositions, always particularly narrative, skillfully emphasize the vastness of the sea, the glamour of the seascape and its silence as opposed to the noisy urban environments.
In 1867 he received first prize in the competition of the Austrian government for a painting of his with the topic the "Naval Battle of Lissa". In addition to the award of 1,000 gold forints, the prize was accompanied by trips with the Austrian navy for 3 years. On occasion of these trips to the Adriatic in order for him to get acquainted with the venue of the naval battle, he painted a dozen of works depicting ships and the sea such as the "HMS Kaiser", and others.
In 1868 he participated in the Annual International Exhibition of the Art Society in Vienna and his work was bought 1.000 forints by the Francis (Franz) Joseph, Emperor of Austria, for the Art History Museum in Vienna (Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien). Today this work of art is situated in Hofburg, at the former emperial palace in Vienna.
In 1868, 1869 and 1872 he took part in the exhibitions of the Art Society in Munich, Germany.
In 1873 he exhibited his works at the Exhibition of the Art Society in Munich, Germany, and at the Exhibition of the Art Society in Vienna, Austria.
In 1876 he presented at the second exhibition of impressionists in Paris the work of art entitled "Festival in Munich" crafted with free brushstrokes.
In 1877 he exhibited his work of art entitled the "Naval Battle of Trafalgar", which was bought by the Ministry of the Admiralty (Royal Navy) in England.
In 1877 and 1878 he took part in the exhibition of the Art Society in Munich, Germany.
In 1881 he participated in an exhibition at the Melas House, Athens, Greece.
In 1882 he crafted the "Naval Battle of Salamis" upon order of the Hellenic (Greek) State; he presented it at the Palace in 1883, and today it is situated at the Hellenic (Greek) Navy Headquarters in Athens.
In 1883 he returned to Greece and was positioned professor at the School for the Arts (later called Athens School of Fine Arts). He taught the courses of Elementary Graphics and Drawing Sculptures from the Αntique.
In 1885 he exhibited works of his at the Parnassos Literary Society in Athens.
In 1886 he exhibits works of his in the town hall of Piraeus.
In 1888 he participated in the Panhellenic Exhibition at Zappeion Hall and in the last (4th) Olympia (Institutional Event) at Zappeion, where he received the silver medal.
In 1889 he was awarded the Silver Cross of the Redeemer.
In 1890 he exhibited again works of his at the Parnassos Literary Society in Athens.
In 1894 he handed in to the Royal Palace of Athens his work entitled "Exodus of Ares" upon their order.
In 1895 he founded in Piraeus the painting school entitled "Artistic Center", wherein he taught.
In 1896 he took part in the exhibition in the context of the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens.
In 1900 he appeared in Athens, at the exhibition of the Society of the Friends of Art and at the exhibition of the Union of Artists in the courtyard of the Parliament.
In 1902 he exhibited works of his at Parnassos, at the Artistic Exhibition of the Society of the Friends of Art in Faliro and at the Artistic Exhibition of the Town Hall in Athens.
In 1902 he participated in the International Exhibition of Athens and was awarded silver prize, as well as in Parnassos and in the Second Artistic Exhibition of Panionios Club in Smyrne. In the same year he resigned from his post at the School of the Arts for health reasons.
In 1904 he took part in the International Exhibition in Athens.
In 1906 he participated in the European Exhibition in Bordeaux, France, and was awarded for it.
From 1903 to 1907 he went through a difficult financial and psychological period.
Works of Constantinos Volanakis exist in important public and private collections. Indicatively we mention some of the following: National Art Galley-Alexandros Soutsos Museum; Euripides Koutlides Foundation; National Art Gallery-Coumantaros Art Gallery in Sparta; National Art Gallery-Corfu Annex; National Library in Germany; Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest, Hungary; Kouvoutsakis Art Gallery; Collection of the Bank of Greece; Collection of works of art of the National Bank Greece; the Hellenic Maritime Museum; the Headquarters of the Hellenic Navy in Athens; Collection of the Evangelistria Foundation in Tenos; the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation.
Volanakis, Miltiadis, My father: short biography of the seascape painter. Athens: [s.n.], 1963;
Misirle, Nelle, "Modern Greek seascape painters" in Greek Merchant Marine (1453-1850). Athens: [s.n], 1972, p. 303-314;
Vlachos, Manoles, Konstantinos Volanakis, the painter (1837-1907). Athens: [PhD thesis at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki], 1974;
Vlachos, Manoles, Konstantinos Volanakis in the series "The Greek painters". Athens: [s.n.], 1974, vol. 1;
Lydakis, Stelios, Dictionary of Greek Painters and Engravers. Athens: [s.n.], 1976, vol. 4, p. 58-59;
Vlachos, Manoles, Konstantinos, the painter. Athens: [s.n.], 1994;
Lydakis, Stelios, Volanakis. Athens: [s.n.], 1997;
Vlachos, Manoles, "Konstantinos Volanakis" in Dictionary of Greek Artists. Athens: [s.n.], 1994;
Lambraki-Plaka, Marina, "Dialogue with the light and the color: the first impressionist sketches, survivals of Impressionism in academic painters" in the volume Lambraki Plaka. [s.l.]: [s.n.], 1999, p. 352-354;
Mentzafou-Polyzou, Olga, "Landscape in Greek painting of the 19th century" in the volume Lambraki Plaka. [s.l.]: [s.n.], 1999, p. 352-354;
Vlachos, Manoles, Konstantinos Volanakis. Athens: [s.n.], 2006;
Vlachos, Manoles, Modern Greek painting in the collection of The Bank of Greece.. Athens: [s.n.], 2007, p. 108-140, n. 24-32;
Kasimate, Marilena Ζ. (ed.), Konstantinos Volanakis: the poet of the sea. – Exhibition catalogue. – Athens: Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation; Hellenic Maritime Museum, 2009;
Vlachos, Manoles, Volanakis. Athens: [s.n.], 2016;
Maurotas, Takes (ed.), Konstantinos Volanakis: the father of Greek seascape painting. – Exhibition catalogue. – Athens: B&M Theocharakis Foundation for the Fine Arts and Music, 2018;
Koutsogiannes, Thodores (ed.), Konstantinos Volanakis: nostos of the sea: works from the collection of the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation. – Exhibition catalogue. – Athens: Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation; Hellenic Maritime Museum, 2023;
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