Island of Skioithos
Object number2007.131.105
Artist
Peter A. Contis
(died 1973)
Date1971
MediumAcrylic; canvas; paper; glass; metal
Credit LineGift of Helen Contis
DescriptionAcrylic painting on canvas. Multicolored town landscape with rows of buildings: at top center, basilica, to right Greek temple. On lower half: water with boats (tanker, sailboat, rowboat, cruise ship) and dock. Blue sky. Black trees on green background with yellow, white, orange, pink, and black dots. Dimensions29.875 x 1.25 x 23.675 in. (75.9 x 3.2 x 60.1 cm)Signed"12-28-71 / P.A. Contis" in black, right corner on dock.
Historical NotesThis painting is part of a large collection of paintings and sketches by Peter and Helen Contis. Ruins of old temple in the upper right. Took him a week or so to paint a temple of that size. Skorpios is a small island between the west coast of Greece and the large island of Levkas. Private island owned by Onassis. Peter experienced this with his family from an airplane. Peter Contis emigrated to Pittsburgh in 1910 and began working in the restaurant business with his brothers. Peter later returned to his homeland of Greece and met Helen in 1928; they married three months later. Moving back to Pittsburgh, Peter eventually opened a restaurant called the Neon Grill in 1932, while Helen raised their three children. Nearly thirty years later, the restaurant was closed and razed, allowing the Contis' to realize their talent in art. A religious man all his life, Peter began painting landscapes, both of Pittsburgh and Greece, and other still lifes, focusing on God's perfect affection in nature: his buildings are symmetrical and colors are vivid. Helen's talents were not revealed until after Peter's death in 1973, when she began to paint poetically the landscapes and still lifes on her own. Helen died in 2004.
Related person
Helen P. Contis
(died 2004)
On View
Not on view
