Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika (Greek, 1906-1994) Kammena Vourla III (signed and dated (lower right); ...

Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika (Greek, 1906-1994) Kammena Vourla III signé et daté 'Ghika 78' (en bas à droite); signé, daté 'GhikA 1978' et titré en grec (au revers) huile sur panneau 40 x 56.5cm (15 3/4 x 22 1/4in). signed and dated (lower right); signed, dated and titled in Greek (on the reverse) oil on hardboard Footnotes: Provenance Sotheby's London, Greek Sale, 14 November 2007, lot 51 (as The Property of a Lady). Acquired from the above sale by the present owner. Littérature Athens, To Trito Mati Gallery, Ghika , March 1979. K.C. Valkana, Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika, His Painting Oeuvre , Benaki Museum, Athens 2011, fig. 32, p. 245 (mentioned and illustrated). Imbued with the breath of the earth, this luxuriant and pulsating landscape speaks about the artist's lifelong fascination with the magic of painting and the miracle of Greek light. As noted by art historian K.C. Valkana, 'in such paintings as Landscape in Kamena Vourla III the wild, dynamic and mostly inimical nature of his earlier works is replaced by a verdant and blooming one conveying the joyful atmosphere of spring or summer, like his renowned Cretan gardens from 1950.' 1 As Ghika himself once said: 'Venturing beyond geometric rules and harmonious designs you gain something else: more spontaneity and greater freedom.' 2 Drawing from his personal impressions gathered while touring the countryside, the artist, often with the aid of a camera, captured nature as an inexhaustible source of natural wealth and beauty. 3 1 K.C. Valkana, Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika, His Painting Oeuvre, Benaki Museum, Athens 2011, p. 245. 2 A. Grimani, 'Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika, The Clock of Memories' [in Greek], interview by Ghika, Ena magazine, no.49, 5.10.1990, pp. 115-118. 3 The photo archive of the Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika Gallery includes a large number of snapshots from the artist's outings in Kamena Vourla. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: AR AR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com