Spiros Xenos facts for kids
Spiros George Xenos (born June 11, 1881 – died January 21, 1963) was an artist with roots in both Greece and Sweden. He was known for his beautiful paintings.
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Early Life and Education
Spiros Xenos was born in Athens, Greece. He loved art from a young age. He spent six years studying at the Athens School of Fine Arts. This is a famous art school in Greece.
In 1903, Spiros received a scholarship. This helped him continue his art studies in Munich, Germany. Scholarships are special awards that help students pay for their education.
Becoming an Artist
After his studies, Spiros Xenos moved to Paris, France. Paris was a very important city for artists at that time. He opened his own art studio there. He also became well-known among other artists.
While in Paris, he met Elin von Reis, who was from Gothenburg, Sweden. They got married in 1911. In 1913, Spiros and Elin visited Sweden. They planned to stay for a short time. However, World War I started, which made it difficult to travel. So, they decided to make Sweden their new home.
Art and Inspiration
Spiros Xenos found a lot of inspiration in Sweden. He especially loved the landscapes of Sweden's west coast. His paintings often showed the beautiful nature there.
He was also very good at painting portraits, which are pictures of people. He also painted still lifes, which are pictures of objects like fruit or flowers. A book called "Partille Krönika" (Partille Chronicle) talks about how much he loved painting the Swedish landscape. He wanted to show this beauty to people in his home country, Greece, through art exhibitions.
Where to See His Art
You can find Spiros Xenos's artwork in several places. Some of his paintings are at 'Chalmers University of Technology' in Gothenburg, Sweden. You can also see his art at 'the University of Gothenburg (School of Business, Economics and Law)'.
In Greece, his work is displayed at the 'National Gallery and Alexandros Soutzos Museum'. This is a major art museum in Athens.
Life in Sweden
In 1920, Spiros Xenos built a house in Utby, Gothenburg. He named it 'Villa Athena', after his birthplace, Athens. This house is still standing today. It is part of an area called 'Utbynäs´ villastad', which was designed like an English garden city.
Spiros Xenos passed away in Gothenburg, Sweden, when he was 81 years old. He is buried in 'Örgryte new cemetery' in Gothenburg. His second wife, Ester Elena (Håkansson) Xenos, is buried there with him.
After he died, a local newspaper wrote about him. They called him "the well-known Gothenburg artist." They also said he was a very kind person. He was described as someone who was "free from harsh judgments" and did not try to get ahead by hurting others.
