Couple by a Fountain in Zagora

Theofilos Hadjimichail was born probably in 1871 in Varia, Lesvos. A quirky personality, he lived between Lesbos, Asia Minor, Pelion and Volos, practicing various professions, as he was often treated with scepticism by others because of his special character. He showed from an early age his inclination towards painting, he painted in all the regions he passed through and for this reason several of his frescoes survive. Throughout most of his life he was ignored for his paintings, which were highlighted by the painter C. G. Gounaropoulos, the literary artist K. Ouranis and the art critic E. Tériade. The latter even made sure to meet him personally and buy his works. However, the essential recognition of his work came after his death in 1934, when the so-called '30s generation was looking for the path to tradition and the '40s generation was discovering the purity of patriotism in his heroes. In 1965, on the initiative of E. Tériade, the Theophilos Museum was founded in Varia, Lesvos, with works from the last period of his painting.