Biography

Christos Kapralos was born in 1909 in Panaitolio, Agrinio. Coming from a poor farming family, he rose above difficult circumstances, showcasing the indomitable strength of his artistic soul. From a young age, his first encounters with art were through local icon painters, while his move to Athens in 1928 marked the first significant step toward his journey in painting and sculpture. He studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts from 1930 to 1934, financially supported by the Papastratos family.

Although he initially focused on painting, his passion for sculpture led him to Paris, where he studied at the renowned Colarossi and Grande Chaumière Academies under the guidance of Marcel Gimond. There, Kapralos was deeply influenced by the traditions of great French sculptors such as Maillol and Bourdelle. However, he always maintained a strong connection to his Greek heritage, with archaic art serving as a constant source of inspiration.

With the outbreak of World War II in 1940, Kapralos returned to Greece. After staying for a while at Moralis’s home,[1] he went back to his hometown, saying, “I went to my village with empty suitcases to continue.”[2] There, isolation in the Greek countryside and close connection with nature shaped his work. Kapralos captured the essence of things, rendering them with balanced volumes, free of intense shadows.[3] His works from this period reflect the daily life of ordinary people, while his iconic sculptures, inspired by the figure of his mother, portray human essence with primordial simplicity.

In 1946, Kapralos settled permanently in Athens, embarking on an impressive artistic career. His first solo exhibition at Parnassos in the same year marked the beginning of his recognition, characterized by the strength of form, balance of volumes, and pursuit of the eternal and universal. In 1951, his decisive move to Aegina provided the ideal environment for his creativity. There, he created monumental works such as the Pindus Monument, a 40-meter-long relief frieze celebrating Greek history and tradition, inspired by archaic and folk motifs.

The central theme of Kapralos's sculpture is Man. The human body, in all its manifestations, becomes both instrument and work of art, with the only other living element being the horse, an archetypal divine symbol of strength in ancient Greek mythology. From the 1960s, Kapralos turned to new techniques, such as works made from copper sheets, and developed a unique method of processing wax sheets. This transition led him to more abstract but equally dynamic expressions, always maintaining a connection with the human form, mythology, and nature.

His participation in international exhibitions, such as the Venice and São Paulo Biennales, earned him global recognition. Notably, by creating his own foundry with the help of his friend Kostas Klouvatos, he produced 240 forms, some of which brought him great success at the Venice Biennale in 1962.[4] In 1981, the National Gallery honored his work with a retrospective exhibition, focusing on the bronze sculptures from 1960 to 1980. As noted by D. Papastamos in the exhibition catalog, Kapralos's forms convey an inwardness derived from the beings of nature, later adding that his transition to more abstract figures reflects the search for the one and only truth that has existed and will exist as long as humanity endures.[5]

Kapralos was an artist who combined technical skill with a profound humanitarian perspective. His work, rooted in antiquity yet with a global vision, bequeathed a spiritual and artistic legacy that remains alive and relevant. Elytis wrote that Kapralos had the ability to align the movement of his hands with the rhythm of matter in the light and history of his homeland.[6] His death in 1993 marked the end of a creative cycle full of light, yet left behind an art that touches eternity.

Georgia Dimopoulou

Classics Scholar – Editor

[1] Kapralos, C., Autobiography, Agra, Athens, 2001, p. 68.

[2] Frantziakakis, K. F., “Christos Kapralos Responds to Ten Ifs,” Zygos, 1981, p. 32.

[3] Palioura, Mirka, “The Work of Christos Kapralos in His Birthplace” in Christos Kapralos Sculpture Gallery, Agrinio, p. 31.

[4] Lambraki-Plaka, Marina, “Christos Kapralos – A Modern Sculptor with Ancient Roots” in Yiannis Moralis – Christos Kapralos: A Friendship of Life and Art, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, Athens, 2016.

[5] Papastamos, D., Christos Kapralos – Sculptures in Bronze 1960–1980, National Gallery – Alexandros Soutzos Museum, Athens, 1981.

[6] Elytis, O., Open Papers, Ikaros, Athens, 2009, p. 455.