Nikolas (Pavlopoulos)

Nikolas Pavlopoulos (Agios Georgios Nelias of Magnesia 1909 – Athens 1990) was a sculptor and engraver known simply as Nikolas. He received his first lessons in woodcarving from his father, who was an engraver of liturgical furniture. During his school years, he was involved in calligraphy, music, and theater. In 1929, he took entrance exams for the Higher School of Fine Arts and began his studies in sculpture directly in his third year, under the guidance of Thomas Thomopoulos. He primarily focused on academic-style sculpture in wood, copper, and marble, and as an engraver, he mainly worked with woodcut prints and book illustration. He participated in both international and domestic exhibitions, where he was awarded numerous prizes, including one in Florence as part of the “Omaggio a Michelangelo” event. His works have been showcased in exhibitions in Greece and abroad. In 1988, he was honored with a special state medal for his contribution to the National Resistance.

In terms of age, Nikolas belonged to the “generation of the ’30s” and shared the same teachers as Tsarouchis, Moralis, Nikos Chatzikyriakos – Gikas, among others. However, it is evident from his work that he was not involved in the explorations characteristic of his generation but followed a classical and conservative direction in his creations.

Overall, the Municipality of Tripolis collection includes nineteen of his works: fourteen woodcuts and five copper sculptures. The woodcuts are likely dated between 1935 and 1945, as that was the period when the artist primarily worked with wood as his main material. His works are characterized by realism and naturalism, and their themes mainly include landscapes, social scenes such as the toil of anonymous workers, and still life. In the woodcuts that include human elements, the artist depicts rural life as unidealized, recognizing and honoring the labor of the workers, yet portraying the people without any revolutionary intent, so that they accept their lives passively. The postures of their bodies and the deliberate avoidance of depicting facial features suggest the attitude with which the artist viewed rural subjects.

This stands in contrast to the work ‘’Mortis’’ (Street Tough), in which the artist demonstrates his ability to convey more details and characteristics of the figures and to present their emotional world through wood engraving. The sculptures in the collection are made of brass and are probably created between 1948 and 1960.