Theodore Poulakis

Born in Chania, Crete in 1622, he is considered one of the most prolific painters of Venetian Crete and the father of the Heptanese school.¹

He lived in Venice for thirteen years starting at age 24, where he was a member of the Greek Brotherhood and served as a member of the Quaranta council.¹

In 1657, he migrated to Corfu due to the Cretan War, a move that marked a turning point in his career and his transition toward the sophisticated Heptanese style.¹

In 1657, he signed a six-year contract to teach painting to Marinos Damistras's son, Tzorzi, requiring the student to follow him wherever he went.¹

He lived through the Siege of Candia by the Ottomans; the city's fall after twenty years drove many Cretan painters to seek new homes elsewhere.¹

He remained active until his death in 1692; over 130 of his paintings survive today, representing the completion of stylistic transitions begun by Damaskinos.¹