Vassilis Germenis (Greek, 1896-1966) Scène des guerres des Balkans (signed in Greek (lower left)oil on canvas)

Vassilis Germenis (Greek, 1896-1966)
Scène des guerres des Balkans signé en grec (en bas à gauche)huile sur toile70 x 90cm (27 9/16 x 35 7/16in).signed in Greek (lower left)oil on canvas

Enchanted by Greece's military triumphs during the Balkan Wars, the painter pays homage to King Constantine I (1868-1923), a main protagonist of this Modern Greek epic. As Crown Prince and Inspector-General of the Army, Constantine commanded the Greek forces in the liberation of Thessaloniki and Ioannina during the first Balkan War (1912-1913). When he ascended to the throne following the assassination of his father King George I in 1913, his military prestige stood high and many regarded him with pride and affection as the successor of the last Byzantine Emperor.1 1 See W. Miller, A History of the Greek People (1821-1921), Methuen & Co. editions, London 1922, pp. 141-142.