Santorinios-Santorinakis, Antonios von (1941-2022)
Creator details
- Name
- Santorinios-Santorinakis, Antonios von (1941-2022)
- Nationality
- German
- Biography
- Antonios Santorinios-Santorinakis (1941–2022) was born in Regensburg, Germany. After graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts and the Academy of Graphic Arts in Munich, he was awarded a scholarship to continue his studies in Greece. He arrived on Santorini in 1966, fell in love with the island, and made it his home. There he rediscovered and subsequently adopted the traditional local technique of painting on glass, taking scenes from everyday life on Santorini and the nearby island of Crete as his principal subject matter. Working in his own distinctive style, Santorinios-Santorinakis depicted the wild beauty of the Greek islands while adding a deeply human dimension. His characters reflect the warmth and hospitality of the people of his adopted homeland, captured amidst scenes of harvesting, feasting, and tranquil seascapes. In later years he lived and worked near Chania, Crete. Throughout his career he held more than eighty solo and group exhibitions of paintings and etchings, including exhibitions at the Barbican Art Centre in London, as well as in Munich, Athens, and the United States. His work remains celebrated for its vibrant portrayal of Greek island life and its masterful use of the traditional glass-painting technique.
