Νενητούρια

004623 Frixos Aristefs, Nenitouria, 1936, oil on canvas, 50 × 66 cm

Nenitouria is a small village on the northwestern edge of the island of Chios. For his painting, Aristefs adopted a synthetic approach, similar to other works of the same series, such as Kampia and Lithi: he gave emphasis to the general view of the settlement and the landscape, painting the houses as they spread across the low hill. The composition is divided into three successive zones: in the foreground, the dry grass and rocks serve as an introduction. The houses occupy the middle and most important part of the composition, while a thin strip of sky crowns the scene. The painting stands out thanks to the swift and bold execution, though not at the expense of the design or the relatively realistic depiction of the landscape. Particular attention has been paid to the strong sunlight, revealing that the painter, although a Symbolist, could also stand as a highly capable landscape artist, excellently portraying ‟the local light and color, which differs entirely from the light of Attica” (as he wrote in his Autobiography).