Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 14-10-23

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Exhibition on Theophil Hansen, creator of Athenian Neoclassicism, inaugurated

[01] Exhibition on Theophil Hansen, creator of Athenian Neoclassicism, inaugurated

The exhibition, which will last until January 18, includes more than 180 original drawings (watercolors, crayons etc.), mostly originating from Austrian and Danish museums and Archives, most works of which remain unpublished. It, also, includes a number of furniture, objects of gilded bronze, as well as 19th century photos.

Theophil Hansen (1813-1891) was born and educated in Copenhagen. During his nine-year stay in Athens (1837-1846), he composed the architectural narrative that characterized Athens in the 19th century; that rendered him the main creator of Athenian Neoclassicism.

In 1859, based on the University building created by his brother Christian, he conceived the so-called "Athenian Trilogy" -the complex of the Athens University, Academy and Library- which constitutes the most important architectural ensemble of Greece, after the Acropolis. He also designed the Observatory, Zappeion and a number of unexecuted projects. At the same time, he excelled in Vienna where he designed a series of buildings, including the Parliament, the Academy of Fine Arts, the Greek Church, the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde Concert Hall, etc.

His whole work has developed in a distinct architectural idiom with "retrospective" characteristics which Theophil himself called �Hellenische Renaissance� (Hellenic Renaissance).

The exhibition is organized in collaboration with the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna and the National Art Library of Denmark. It is under the auspices of the Austrian and Danish Embassy and its grand donor is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

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