“Kallos the Ultimate Beauty” Exhibition in Athens

An exquisite exhibition exploring the concept of beauty through 300 antiquities that have been gathered from museums and collections in Greece and abroad, is currently taking place at the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens.

On display are three hundred emblematic antiquities from fifty-two museums, collections, and Ephorates of Antiquities throughout Greece, as well as from Italy, and the Vatican. The majority are appearing for the first time outside of the museums of their provenance.

The exhibition named “Kallos. The Ultimate Beauty” was created by Professor Nikolaos Chr. Stampolidis, Director of the Acropolis Museum, former Director of the Museum of Cycladic Art, and Dr. Ioannis D. Fappas, Curator of Antiquities at the museum. With selected exhibits dating mainly from the seventh to the first century BC  (from the Archaic to the Hellenistic period) they are complemented by a handful of works of Roman times. 

“The ancient Greek word Kallos means ‘beauty’ and is associated with both females and males. We wanted to complete the concept of beauty by also including elements from the philosophical beliefs of the ancient Greeks, elements of virtue, such as wisdom, heroism, self-denial, noble rivalry, and kindness. The Ancient Greeks believed that all these virtues were an integral part of beauty,” announced  Sandra Marinopoulou, President & CEO of the Museum of Cycladic Art.

Visitors are able to see statues, vases, sherds (broken ceramics), mirrors, jewellery, perfume vases, accessories of the toilette and beautification (cosmetic unguents, pigments, and so on), objects of clay, stone metal, and terracottas of various periods, mainly Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic figurines, tools for styling the hair, such as iron scissors, little combs, and so on.

The exhibition also hosts a number of antiquities from Magna Graecia, enabling the visitor to understand the phenomenon of the dispersion of the notion of Kallos also to the Greek colonies in the West; with artifacts from the Vatican Museum, the Archaeological Museums of Florence, Naples, Rome, Bologna, Venice, Syracuse, Catania and the National Archaeological Park of Ostia.

A: Neophytou Douka 4, Athens

Dates: Until the 16th of January, 2022 

Opening hours:

Monday, Wednesday, Saturday: 10 am  to 5 pm 
Thursday, Friday: 10 am  to 8 pm 
Sunday: 11 am to 5 pm 
Tuesday: Closed 

Images courtesy of Paris Tavitian © Museum of Cycladic Art

Bringing Greek Easter into Your Home

On May 2, Greeks around the world will celebrate Greek Orthodox Easter, or Pascha. 

In a year when home confinement continues to define our lives, we can enhance every moment from the communal joy of the Anastasi midnight mass of Holy Saturday to the egg-butting tradition on Easter Sunday, and everything in between, by brightening our homes with attractive traditional Greek decorations and flavours. 

Fortunately, there are several wonderful options for Easter gifts you can make to others or to yourself with one simple click. Here, we have selected our favourite online shopping options. 

Benaki Museum Decorative Eggs 

These beautifully crafted and decorated ceramic eggs are items that brighten up any Easter table. Being pretty object d’art, including a special range inspired by the artworks of Nikos Hatzikyriakos Gikas they make the perfect gift that can last for many Easter celebrations to come. The lambades at this shop are also singular in their happy, springtime style.

Leonidas Chocolate Gifts 

These delicious Greek-owned, Belgian chocolates are enjoyable for people of any age. Who doesn’t like a lovely box of melt-in-your-mouth milk chocolate mouthfuls? 

Insights Greece - Bringing Greek Easter into Your Home

Naturally Greek Lambades & Gift Compilations 

Stylish, creative and packed with modern taste, these gift boxes, baskets and individual items like pastel and earthy tone lambades (candles) make Easter all the more enjoyable and memorable. There are varieties to please everyone from children to your CEO.

Cycladic Art Museum Easter Presents

From a unique Easter Gift Kit with a Cycladic mirror (portraying the Cycladic head of the figurines), serving platters, ceramic egg and a candle with a decorative eye to Easter Egg necklaces and cheerful decorative items like a Dove pillow and Easter Chicken inspired by ancient creations, the Cycladic Art Museum offers a seasonal gift range that stands out.

 

Pure Gifts Food & Decorative Items Baskets 

Creating compilations of Easter delights like tsoureki sweet bread, chocolate eggs, olive oil cookie bites and mastic liqueur with decorative bunny rabbits and lambades, Pure Gifts has something to gratify every member of the family or workplace this Easter.

 

Shop Greek Museum Stores Online for the Perfect Gift

Online shopping offers endless possibilities, but if you’re seeking a truly original gift that can’t be found in the thousands on Amazon, visit these fantastic Greek museum shops and discover a whole other level of ideas.

National Archaeological Museum

Beautiful replicas of jewellery, busts, statues and statuettes, objects like vessels and coffee table books are sold at the store of Greece’s largest archaeological museum. There is no online catalogue but you can get in touch directly with the museum shop via email or phone to enquire whether any specific item you are interested in finding is available. The museum presents antiquities from all over Greece, in the categories of Prehistoric Antiquities, Sculpture, Metalwork, Vases and Minor Arts, Egyptian Antiquities, and Cypriot Antiquities. It also features permanent and temporary exhibitions that centre on particular areas of time and cultural, political, and social history. For more information, visit the museum shop’s page.

Insights Greece - Shop Greek Museum Stores Online for the Perfect Gift

Benaki Museums

There are four Benaki Museums in Athens – the Museum of Greek Culture, the Pireos Annex, the Museum of Islamic Art, and the Toy Museum. At the Museum of Greek Culture, one can find permanent exhibitions featuring ancient Greek and Roman art, Byzantine, post-Byzantine and Hellenic art, historic heirlooms, a vast collection of drawings, paintings and prints, Chinese and Korean art, and more. At the Pireos 138 Annex, the museum presents modern Greek architecture and photography and temporary events and exhibitions – currently, it is hosting the Athens Photo Festival 2020 (until 15/11/2020). The Museum of Islamic Art houses one of the world’s most important collections of art from India, Persia, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Arabia, Egypt, North Africa, Sicily, and Spain. Finally, the Toy Museum presents the lifetime collection of Maria Argyriadi which is among the most important in Europe and includes toys, books, clothing, and other items associated with childhood from Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

The online shop, the first of its kind in Greece, features museum replicas and inspired items from all the museums. You’ll find exclusive items like limited edition silkscreen prints by Greek artists, corporate gifts, contemporary and replica jewellery and an endless variety of unique art items created by Greek designers who were inspired by the breadth and depth of Greece’s and the world’s culture and art.

Museum of Cycladic Art

This impressive museum presents the most complete permanent collection of Cycladic art worldwide, as well as temporary exhibitions (currently one titled ‘Antiquarianism and Philhellenism: The Thanassis and Marina Martinos Collection’ which will go on until 05/04/2021). Cycladic art, ancient Greek culture and Cypriot culture are represented here in daily and utilitarian items, artworks, jewellery and sculpture. At the museum’s shop you’ll find replicas and modern creations by Greek designers inspired by the exhibitions, from household and décor items such as glasses, bowls and plates to jewellery and books. Explore the shop’s lucky charms for 2021 for upcoming Christmas pressies too.

Goulandris Museum of Natural History

The one-of-a-kind museum is known for its impressively massive replica of a dinosaur skeleton as well as its incredible variety of botanical, entomological, marine biology, paleontology, herpetology, mammal, mineral and other collections related to natural history collections. At the museum’s store you’ll find original presents for children, such as minerals and rocks, handmade ceramic, wood or stone figures of sea and land animals, and lovely books, puzzles and games related to the natural environment. There are plenty of gift options for adults too: Greek flora is portrayed on fabulous lithographies, silk scarves and porcelains designed by Niki Goulandris.

The Acropolis Museum

Greece’s most important museum, featuring spectacular beauties such as the Parthenon Frieze and a meticulously maintained, expansive and stunning collection of the most important finds from the Acropolis and Athens in antiquity, has just turned 10! The Acropolis Museum shop has created a special selection of festive, Christmas season gifts that includes lucky charms for 2021, decorative items and ornaments. The museum is also presenting a special selection of silk scarves, cups and other items themed on Cranes in Flight to celebrate its 10th Anniversary.