Yannis Tsarouchis is probably one of the most significant Greek painters of the twentieth century, due to his excellent contribution to portray and define the modern Greek identity. Yannis is a very erotic painter, his work is inspired by the French Impressionists, he also is an important gay artist who has painted naked athletic men with innocent features that contrast their tough roles as soldiers.
Yannis Tsarouchis was born in Piraeus, Athens on January 13, 1910, and started to study at School of Fine Arts in Athens, in 1928, having as a teacher a great proffesor, Konstantinos Parthenis.
He also received classes from Kontoglou Photios, who inspired him a little on Byzantine art. In 1930 he went to Paris and there he fell in love with that french decadence and bohemian lifestyle, and he was seduced by art from painters such as Renoir, Manet, Picasso and Matisse among others.
He was inspired by the desire of the greek people for freedom and independece, as they are a free-spirit nation, being independent from the Ottomans for a little over 100 years only, and being in a war defending their land again in the time of Yannis Tsarouchis.
His art is influenced by byzantine, parisian impresionism and his own touch.
Tsarouchis was popular in Greece for his contribution to and respect for Greek culture. In 1982, the Yannis Tsarouchis Foundation was established. When the artist died on July 20, 1989 in Athens, he left money in his will to support the foundation named in his honor.
