Footnotes

Provenance
From the private collection of W. Robert Morgan (rancher, lawyer, art patron, and founder of the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara, California).
By familial descent to the previous owner.
Private collection, California.


Provenance
W. Robert Morgan collection, Santa Clara, California, and by familiar descent to the previous owner.
Private collection, California.

Expositions
Athens, Exhibition Hall of the Parnassos Literary Society, group exhibition, April 21 - May 1885.

Littérature
Estia magazine, no. 486, April 21, 1885, btw pp. 282-283 (illustrated).
Deltion tis Estias, no. 434, April 21, 1885, pp. 1, 2 (mentioned).
Epetiris Filotechnon yearbook, Athens 1901 (illustrated).
Pinakothiki magazine, no. 42, August 1904, p. 110 (illustrated).
Efimeris ton Kyrion magazine, no. 977, April 15-30, 1909, p. 929 (illustrated).
K.F. Skokos, Ethnikon Imerologion of the Year 1910, Athens 1910, p. 202 (illustrated).
Miniaia Epitheorisis magazine, no. 8-9, February-March 1924, p. 9 (illustrated).
Athinai magazine, no. 4, celebratory issue, January 1935, p. 77 (illustrated).
N. Athanassoglou-Souyoutzoglou, The Painter Nikiphoros Lytras (1832-1904), doctoral dissertation, Athens 1976, fig. 81 (mentioned).
I. Bolis, The Art Exhibitions, The Artists and their Audience in 19th Century Athens, doctoral dissertation, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 2000, p. 167 (mentioned).
A. Sarafianos, P. Ioannou ed., Research Issues in Art History, Assini editions, Athens 2016, p. 517 (discussed and illustrated).



A wonderful vignette of rural life, Girl washing her hair perfectly illustrates the artist's adherence to traditions deeply rooted in the Greek folk culture. As Lytras used to say, "the customs of the Greek people brought Independence and must be protected like the apple of one's eye. Artists should devote themselves to genre painting and to works that are related to what stirs, delights and educates the people."¹

The two figures are kept close to each other, adhering to the firm compositional structure championed by the masters of the Munich School, especially Karl von Piloty, under whom Lytras studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. In terms of style, however, form is simplified, drawing loosens up and surfaces are handled with broader brushstrokes, achieving unity of effect and pointing to the artist's ability to shift from the descriptive to the pictorial.

Despite the secular subject, the scene is endowed with a sense of monumentality and solemn grandeur accentuated by a limited palette of subdued and unvaried hues that perfectly match the austerity of the setting. This evocation of noble sentiment and archaic simplicity promotes a world of everlasting values, conveying to the viewer a sense of nostalgia for an age-old, uncorrupted world of firm beliefs and pure feelings.

Often referred to as the Patriarch of Modern Greek painting, Lytras enjoyed an illustrious career, while his works attracted a dedicated and ever-growing clientele. Period records indicate that his paintings were owned by such prominent collectors as A. Benakis, D. Loverdos, Mrs. Serpieri, M. Melas, G. Embirikos, P. Kalligas, G. Stringos and Mrs. Choremis. Many of his works still remain unlocated, known only through old photographs or period references. As noted by art historian E. Gemtou, "though demand for Lytras's work is constantly rising, the supply is extremely limited."<sup>2

1</sup> Y. Kerofylas, Nikiforos Lytras, Patriarch of Modern Greek Painting [in Greek], Filippotis editions, Athens 1997, p. 57.
² E. Gemtou, "Lytras in the Art Market" [in Greek], Kathimerini daily, Epta Imeres, March 3, 1999, p. 29.