Spiridione Roma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spiridione Roma
The East Offering its Riches to Britannia
Born	c. 1735 Corfu, Ottoman Greece
Died	15 June 1786(1786-06-15) (aged 50–51) London, England
Nationality	Greek
Movement	Heptanese School British painter
Spouse(s)	Margarita
Patron(s)	Earl of Egremont

Spiridione Roma (born around 1735 – died June 15, 1786) was a talented Greek painter. He was also known as Spiridon or Spyridon Romas. He came from the island of Corfu. Spiridione was an important artist in the Heptanese School. This was a special style of painting from the Ionian Islands.

He traveled a lot for his art. He painted in places like the Ionian Islands, Sicily, and Livorno in Italy. Later, he moved to England. Spiridione Roma was one of the few Greek painters to work outside of Greece or Italy. Other famous Greek painters who traveled widely were El Greco and Efstathios Altinis. For the last years of his life, he was also known as a British painter. He worked in England from 1770 to 1786. More than 25 of his paintings are still around today. His most famous painting is called The East Offering its Riches to Britannia.

Spiridione Roma's Life Story

Spyridon Romas was born on the island of Corfu. His wife's name was Margarita. They had two daughters and one son.

In 1762, he received a special letter. This letter helped him get work in Livorno, Italy. He signed a contract to decorate a Greek church there. It was called the Holy Trinity church. He painted 20 artworks for this church between 1764 and 1766. He also painted for another Greek church in Lecce, Sicily. It was called Chiesa Greco-Ortodossa di San Nicola.

Spyridon Roma worked in Sicily and central Italy before moving to England. He was invited to England in 1770. He became an important member of the Greek community there. He lived on Queen Anne Street East in London.

His Art Exhibitions and Work

Records show that his paintings were shown at the Royal Academy. This was a famous art place in London. His works were displayed there from 1774 to 1778. Newspaper ads from that time said he was a painter. He also helped take care of other paintings.

Later in his life, he painted for rich people and art collectors. He also worked with the Earl of Egremont. Spiridione Roma passed away on June 15, 1786.

His art changed the way people painted in the Heptanese School. He followed the ideas of painters like Panayiotis Doxaras. He made traditional paintings from the Cretan School more modern. He used a new style called Stile di pittura Ionico. His paintings showed how well he knew this style. His art changed even more when he saw English paintings. He was one of the few Greek painters to completely change his painting style. He moved away from his Greek and Italian art roots.

The Famous Britannia Painting

Spiridione Roma is most famous for a large ceiling painting. It is called The East Offering its Riches to Britannia (1778). The East India Company asked him to paint it. It was for a special room in their building in London.

This painting shows Britain's power and influence around the world at that time. It is now kept at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. You can also see a copy of it at the British Library. Other paintings by Roma are in the British National Trust collections. One example is An Illusionistic Gothic Patron's Pew, in the Extension of the Chapel (painted around 1769-1771).

Gallery

• 

  Madonna and Child

• 

  Holy Trinity

• 

  John the Baptist

• 

  Saint Michael

See also

• Constantine Rodocanachi
• Christopher Angelus