17 Facts About Michael Damaskinos

Michael Damaskinos is a major representative of the Cretan School of painting that flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Michael Damaskinos remained loyal to his Greek roots stylistically but incorporated some Italian elements in his work.

Michael Damaskinos painted parts of the Cathedral of San Giorgio dei Greci.

Michael Damaskinos moved to Venice in the 1560s, while he was there he learned miniature painting.

Michael Damaskinos was a member of the Greek Brotherhood of Venice from 1577 to 1582.

Michael Damaskinos painted icons for the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of San Giorgio dei Greci in Venice.

Michael Damaskinos tried to become a member of the council of the confraternity.

Michael Damaskinos sold a collection of drawings to him which he amassed from other Italian artists.

Michael Damaskinos stayed in Greece and worked mainly in Crete and the Ionian Islands.

Michael Damaskinos was invited to return to Venice by the Greek Orthodox Confraternity.

Michael Damaskinos used a particular rose color that characterized his paintings, his figure dimensions were defined by only a few brush strokes.

Michael Damaskinos drew on wood but never marble thrones which was typical in the Cretan School.

Michael Damaskinos was the first artist to introduce paler flesh tones to post-Byzantine painting and it was one of the stylistic features of his work which proved highly influential from the second half of the sixteenth century and onwards.

Michael Damaskinos contributed to the fusion of the Cretan and the Heptanese School of painting.

Famous Greek Painter and theorist Panagiotis Doxaras in his book The Art of Painting published in 1720 considered Michael Damaskinos to be one of the most important painters.

Michael Damaskinos completed works for the church San Giorgio dei Greci between 1560 and 1583.

The Archangel Michael Damaskinos is portrayed in one of the icons.