Provenance:
Vassilios Voudouris (1840-1910) by descent to
Nicholaos Voudouris (1902-1966) and
by descent to the present owner

Xydias-Typaldos studied in Venice at the Accademia di Belle Arti and later in Florence and Rome. In 1866 he settled in Paris, where he remained for about 30 years before returning to live in Athens. He became well known for his sensitive treatment of portraits, while his understanding of Italian artistic traditions is evident in his genre and landscape paintings.

Never previously offered at auction, the two works have been in the same private collection for over 100 years. Probably dating from the period he was in Venice, the works depict fishing boats on calm waters, the muted colours of the sea and sky meeting in a feint horizon line. The elegant compositions sparkle with a veiled light that emphasises the calm and serenity of the sea, while the diagonal placement of the boat in the frontal plane guides the spectator’s eye toward the distant horizon.

The artist’s interest in creating an atmosphere of early morning calm is paramount in both works, betraying his keen attention to detail and the influences he absorbed from Italian realist traditions.