Exhibition “1821 Before and After”

An important cooperation

Alpha Bank, in cooperation with the Bank of Greece and the National Bank of Greece, is participating in the large commemorative exhibition for the bicentenary of the Greek Revolution.

The exhibition is held under the auspices of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

More than 1,200 exhibits

The exhibition “1821 Before and After” presents 1,200 objects, over 2,500 square meters, for 8 months. These objects recount more than 100 years of history (1770-1870).

The exhibition features works of art and archival documents that belong to the collections of the 3 banks, as well as some important exhibits from the Benaki Museum. The material was collected thanks to the strong ties of trust that the Museum has retained with the families of the heroes and protagonists of the Greek Revolution, ever since its foundation.

Moreover, the exhibition has secured important loans from prestigious museums abroad and private collections in Greece, France and the United Kingdom.

The 3 sections of the exhibition

The exhibition is divided into 3 large sections:

1. The years leading to the national Revolution (section I: 1770-1821).
2. The course of the war of independence and the end of the fight (section II: 1821-1831).
3. The establishment of the modern Greek State and its first decades of development and operation (section III: 1831-1870).

These sections feature paintings, personal items that belonged to the protagonists of the Revolution and historical heirlooms, complemented by rare archival material.

The contribution of the Art Collection

The Alpha Bank Art Collection had a part in curating and organising the exhibition, and also lent 15 works of art.

A piece that stands out is the painting by Konstantinos Volanakis, The Inauguration of the Corinth Canal, 1893-1894, which is presented in a section of the exhibition along with other similar works of his, lent by the collections of the other banks.

Accompanying video

The exhibition and some of the pieces from the Alpha Bank Art Collection are featured in the video “1821 Before and After” The commemorative exhibition for the celebration of the bicentenary of the Greek Revolution.

Additional material

Additional material on the exhibition can be found on the Benaki Museum website, Exhibition: 1821 Before and After.

Accompanying publication

The iconic catalogue 1821 Before and After: Greeks and Greece, Revolution and State is one of the most important publications of recent years on modern Greece.

Buy the publication 1821 Before and After: Greeks and Greece, Revolution and State on the Alpha Bank e-shop.