Foreword
The Hellenic Silver- and Goldsmith Centre (ELKA) is proud to offer this tribute to Greek jewellers, who since time immemorial have dedicated themselves to transforming base materials, noble metals and precious stones into delicate and exquisite adornments. In taking this initiative ELKA expresses its awareness of the need for communication and that the culture developed in each land is promoted by its dissemination and not its isolation.
Conscious of the difficulties and with due respect for all those artists who have bequeathed us wonderful heirlooms of our civilisation, as well as for those who continue their tradition today, ELKA presents this album on the art of Greek jewellery as a manifestation of social, economic and cultural developments, and more generally of the course of Hellenic civilisation over five thousand years. It also aims at enhancing the diachronic creative power of the Greek artist-jeweller who using the techniques inherited from his forebears modifies them to create artistic masterpieces in response to the needs of his age. Masterpieces whose workmanship and detail reveal the majesty of this minor art. Variety, diversity, imagination, elegance and aesthetic sensitivity characterise Greek jewellery today. Inspired by tradition and influenced by modern trends, Greek silver- and goldsmithing is a thriving art, for the timeless radiance of Greek-jewellery holds a fascination for all.
Many have contributed to the success of this venture and to all we express our gratitude: to the director of the Department of Cultural Events at the Ministry of Culture, Mr. Evangelos Passias, for his unbounded support of this endeavour; to the National Archaeological Museum and in particular its Director, the archaeologist Dr Ios Zervoudaki, for her special interest and assistance in facilitating the photographing of museum exhibits; to the Byzantine Museum, the Benaki Museum, the Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum, the Numismatic Museum of Athens, the Canellopoulos Museum and. the Lalaounis Museum for readily providing photographs, and their cooperation in general.
We wish to thank the POVAKO (Panhellenic Federation of Silver- and Goldsmiths, Jewellers and Watchmakers), the associations, the participants in the assessment committee Professor E. Panouryas of the School of Fine Arts and Mrs Vivi Douatzi President of the Association of Sculptors, who generously helped select the pieces of modern Greek jewellery represented in this volume, as well as the individual silver- and goldsmiths who responded to our invitation by making their artistic creations available to us. We are grateful too to the authors of the texts for presenting so clearly the different periods, within the limits imposed by the scope of this book.
Lastly, warm thanks are due to all. those who have helped so willingly and responsibly to complete this task, and especially to Mrs Kate Mikou-Karachaliou, Head of Section of Youth, Department of Cultural Events at the Ministry of Culture, for her definitive contribution to the publication of this volume.