A Life Between Greece and Italy
Efstathios Karousos was a Greek painter and writer born in Cephalonia. His artistic journey led him from his birthplace to Naples, where he became a member of the Greek community. During his time in Naples, he painted icons and frescos for the church of Santi Pietro e Paolo dei Greci, a site where his work spanned from 1766 to 1795. His creative reach extended to the region of Abruzzo, where in 1767 he painted works for an Orthodox Church in the village of Villa Badessa.
Beyond his visual arts, Karousos was a published author. In 1775, he published Sonetti in Morte di Giorgio Corafan in Naples, and around 1802, he published Sen Timenti di un Concittadino Delle Isole Ionie ai Suoi Con Cittadini in Milan. His later years saw him in Trieste, where he assisted the painter Giacomo Granziosi with work on the ceiling of the San Nicolò dei Greci church. He eventually moved to Venice, where he died.
Notable Works and Legacy
The surviving body of Karousos's work includes various religious subjects. His documented paintings include:
His final completed piece, the Relic of a Saint Spyridon, was finished in the year of his death.
