The Great ''Unknown'' Christidis

Sotiris Christidis was born in Thessaloniki, according to his auto-biography, in 1858. He came from a wealthy family and his parents intended him to become a doctor. He studied at the Medical School of Athens, which he abandoned for the National Technical University of Athens, which he also abandoned. Probably for financial reasons, he sought and succeeded in working in the design studio of the Hellenic Mining Company of Lavrio - due to his innate talent for drawing and his little experience at the Technical University.

At that time, he met Karolos Haupt, who introduced him to lithography, and Drakos Papadimitriou, who introduced him to the publishing world. He also met his wife, Maria Relia, who was the daughter of the Mayor of Lavrio.

Christidis' first published work is likely to have been in the magazine ''Ergocheira'' in 1892. In 1896, as a most accomplished artist, he created the cover of the score of the Olympic Games Hymn. He illustrated newspapers and short stories and designed covers, embroidery, advertising labels, vignettes, etc.

In 1904, Christidis, with his wife and children, settled on Theatrou Street in the center of Athens. As a painter and artist, he set up his workshop on the ground floor of his house.

His developed patriotism and his deep inspiration from the events of then modern Greece are visible through his work. For 50 years (1888-1938) an active painter, portraitist and lithographer with a great mind who utilized in his art, all the knowledge he learned in his life. (anatomy from Medicine and details of traditional clothing). 

The first and probably only recognition of Sotiris Christidis took place in 1938, two years before his death, at the First Exhibition of the Neoclassical Tradition by Dimitris Pikionis. Huge question remains the silence that surrounds him and his art. His original works are unfortunately not known, where or if, they are preserved. His lithographs are mainly in private collections and very few in Museums.

As a small tribute, this article was written for this great folk painter who depicted the history of Greece and beyond throughout time.

His works constitute a cultural heritage and we must preserve them.

Notes

-George, son of Sotiris Christidis, opened his own publishing house in 1930, which published several lithographs and postcards with his father's works. (It is worth noting that George Christidis' godfather was George Stangel, lithographer of the Royal Court.)

 -In 1913, in his work of the funeral of King George I, Sotiris Christidis places himself and his son Nicholas in the crowd, at the lower right.

-Here's a small sample of Sotiris Christidis art

The chromolithographs shown above and many more are available in our online and/or physical store

Source: '' APOSTOLOS DOURVARIS, SOTIRIOS CHRISTIDIS (1858-1940) GREEK LITERARY AND HISTORICAL ARCHIVE SOCIETY ATHENS 1993