Emmanuel Tzanes Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Emmanuel Tzanes
The Holy Towel
Born	1610 Rethymno Crete
Died	March 28, 1690 Venice
Nationality	Greek
Movement	Cretan School, Heptanese School

Emmanuel Tzanes (Greek: Εμμανουήλ Τζάνες; 1610 – March 28, 1690) was a talented Greek painter, writer, and priest. He was also known as Bounialis, Emmanuel Tzane-Bounialis, Emmanuel Zane, and Emmanuel Tzane. He lived during the Renaissance period.

Tzanes spent a big part of his life in Venice, Italy. There, he was a priest at the Greek church called San Giorgio dei Greci. He was also part of the Flanginian School, which was a school for Greeks in Venice. Tzanes painted in a style called the Cretan School. This style was popular in Crete, where he was born. His art was also influenced by the paintings he saw in Venice.

He created over 130 artworks that we know of today. You can find his paintings in churches, monasteries, and museums in Greece. One of his most famous paintings is The Holy Towel, which he finished in 1659. Emmanuel Tzanes worked with another painter named Philotheos Skoufos. His brother, Konstantinos Tzanes, was also a painter, and his other brother, Marinos Tzanes, was a poet.

A Painter's Journey
Emmanuel Tzanes' Art Style
Gallery of Works
Timeline of Artistic Works
Literary Works
See also

A Painter's Journey

Emmanuel Tzanes was born in Rethymno, a city on the island of Crete. He became a priest sometime before 1637. When the Ottoman Empire took over Rethymno in 1646, Tzanes left Crete. He lived in Corfu for eight years. While in Corfu, he painted many icons. Sometimes he worked with Philotheos Skoufos on these paintings.

Tzanes moved to Venice, Italy, in early 1655. He lived there for the rest of his life. In March of that year, he wanted to become the priest of San Giorgio dei Greci. He even offered to paint the church for free! However, he was not chosen at first; Skoufos got the job instead. Skoufos left the position in 1660, and Tzanes became the priest. He served for the next twenty years and performed many marriages. He also supervised the Flanginian School for the Greek community in Venice.

Emmanuel Tzanes' Art Style

More than 130 paintings by Tzanes still exist today. They were created between 1636 and 1689. He painted for both Catholic and Greek Orthodox people. His artworks varied in size, from small icons and three-part paintings (triptychs) to very large paintings and church doors.

He stuck to the Cretan School style, which he learned in Rethymno. His paintings often include the date they were made. Sometimes, they even show portraits of the people who asked him to paint them. His style later influenced the Heptanese School of painting. Tzanes often painted icons of Saint Alypios the Stylite, Saint Govdelaas the Persian, Saint Demetrios on horseback, and the Virgin Mary and Christ sitting on a throne. His brother, Konstantinos Tzanes, was also a painter and lived with him in Venice.

Gallery of Works

Portrait of Jesus
Virgin and Child
Virgin and Child
Lamentation
St.George killing the dragon
St.Mark the Evangelist
Nicholas
Christ enthroned
Theodora
Saint Cyrille
Ladder of Divine Ascent
Miracle of Cincture
John Baptist
Lamentation of Christ

Timeline of Artistic Works

Here are some of Emmanuel Tzanes' known artworks, listed by where he was living at the time.

Paintings from Crete

1636 Saint Spyridon (Correr Museum, Venice)
1640 Evangelism (Berlin State Museums)
1641 Theotokos Amolintos (Madonna and Child) (Museum of Zakynthos)
1644 The Tree of Jesse (Hellenic Institute of Venice)
1645 Theotokos Odigitria (Madonna and Child) (Holy Trinity Giudecca, Venice)
1645 Agios Antonios (Panagia ton Xenon, Corfu)
1646 Timios Prodromos (John the Baptist) (Church of Timios Prodromos, Kranidi)

Paintings from Corfu

1648 Christ in Glory (Metropolitan Palace, Corfu)
1648 Saint Cyril (Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athens)
1649 Agios Iason (Church of Saints Jason and Sosipatros, Corfu)
1650 Agios Sosipater (Church of Saints Jason and Sosipatros, Corfu)
1650 Theotokos Enthroned (Church of Saints Jason and Sosipatros, Corfu)
1651 Theotokos (Virgin) Madre della Consolazione (Monastery of Platytera, Corfu)
1654 Saint Cyril of Alexandria (Museum of Antivouniotissa)
1654 Agios (Saint) Ioannis o Damaskinos (Church of Saints Jason and Sosipatros, Corfu)
1654 Saint Gregory of Palamas (Church of Saints Jason and Sosipatros, Corfu)
1655 Agios (Saint) Gavdelaas (Private Collection, Venice)

Paintings from Venice

1656 Agios (Saint) Dimitrios (Loverdos Collection)
1657 Do not touch me (Antivouniotissa, Corfu)
1657 The Virgin Mary Madre della Consolazionne
1657 Saint Mark (Tzanes)
1662 Saint Onuphrius (Tzanes)
1664 Christ Enthroned (Tzanes)
1671 Saint Theodora (Tzanes)
1684 Lady the Lambovitissa

Literary Works

Besides painting, Emmanuel Tzanes also wrote books. Here are some of his works:

Satisfaction is beneficial for every Christian (In Greek)
Sequence of the holy great martyr Fotini of Samaritan, or Christ spoke in the well (In Greek)
Narration with lyrics of the terrible war that took place on the island of Crete (In Greek)

Emmanuel Tzanes facts for kids

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