Description

Christeas Tower – Early Greek Island Series (1960–1980) Original Drawing by Gregory Christeas

24.5 × 34 cm (9.6″ × 13.4″)

Prints of Christeas Tower by artist Gregory Christeas are available FREE of charge to all members of the Christeas family. Request yours at gregory@christeas.com

The Christeas Tower—Monument of Freedom—Agios Dimitrios, Mani

Christeas Tower is an original mid-century ink drawing on acid-free heavyweight paper from Gregory Christeas’ formative years. Made available directly from the artist’s private vault for collectors and institutions seeking rare, historic works, this piece comes signed by Gregory Christeas with certified historical provenance, a Certificate of Authenticity, and well packed & insured worldwide shipping. Measuring 24.5 × 34 cm (9.6″ × 13.4″), this original work captures one of Mani’s most iconic fortified structures in expressive architectural linework.

The Tower of Capetan Christodoulos Christeas, officially declared a Historic Monument, stands proudly in Agios Dimitrios, Mani. Built at least three decades before the Greek Revolution of 1821, it is one of the few Maniot towers still in use today. The Christeas family controlled the small port of Agios Dimitrios from their tower—once both a trading hub and a pirate refuge. Captain Panagos Christeas fought in the Orlov Revolt (1770) and was succeeded by his son, Christodoulos, remembered as one of Mani’s fiercest captains.

Travelers described Capetan Christodoulos as scarred from battle yet hospitable and intelligent, a man whose life was marked by piracy at sea and skirmishes on land. His tower housed arms, gunpowder, and even women who fought alongside the men. During the Revolution of 1821, Nikolakis Christeas, Christodoulos’ son, became a chieftain and officer, fighting with his sons Panagos, Stylianos, Christodoulos, and Stefanos. In 1826, the family’s legendary cannon “Kopsoheila,” manned by Stefanos, struck Ibrahim Pasha’s flagship during his failed invasion of Mani. The Christeas Tower remains a powerful symbol of Mani’s defiance and the family’s central role in Greece’s struggle for freedom.

Historic Context & Collector Provenance

Created during two transformative decades (1960–1980), these early works form the vital historic bridge leading into Christeas’ later full-scale abstract movement, retaining the authentic essence of 20th-century Mediterranean modernism. For collectors of contemporary European art, historical monuments, and Greek Diaspora heritage, these foundational works represent an irreplaceable era in modern Greek art history.

Gregory Christeas is an established Greek American master artist whose multi-decade career spans major international milestones, including a landmark solo exhibition of 125 works during the Cultural Olympiad Athens 2004. For private acquisition details, archival condition reports, or placement consultation, please contact the artist’s studio directly.