Διακοσμητικό μοτίβο με ψάρια

000793 Nikos Yialouris, Folk Decorative Motif with Fishes, n.d., acrylic on cardboard, 52.5 × 51 cm

Three nearly identical fish—differing only in their scales and their colouring—are placed one above the other. They are painted in bright, cheerful colours (reds, light blues, yellows, and light greens). The composition, most likely a copy of a ceramic design, is inspired by the world of the sea and fishing. After all, the fish holds symbolic value in both folk and religious art. Yialouris belongs to that group of Greek artists who, during the 20th century—and especially from the interwar period onward—were strongly influenced by tradition and advocated for a “return to the roots” of Hellenism, with a focus on the art of the past. The most prominent figure of this movement was Fotis Kontoglou (1895-1965), born in Ayvalik (Kydonies). Yialouris had met Kontoglou, though his interest in folk art—especially that of his native island—dated back to his youth.